Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mary Esposito. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mary, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
When I was 13 I was hospitalized for an eating disorder. In the hospital I couldnt do much. We werent allowed to exercise and didnt go on many outings. Many of the girls were knitting to pass the time and they taught me as well. I fell in love with knitting and spent hours every day with my needles and yarn. Once I was discharged I realized how much knitting helped with my mindfulness and recovery so I decided to continue. I also learned to crochet. I was getting pretty good–good enough my friends and family were asking for the plushies I made. So I decided to start a little crochet business named after the stuffed animal I took with me to the hospital: Purple Pear. Over the next five years, I scaled my crochet business online on Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok. I crocheted cute plushies ranging from foods to animals. I even took on custom orders and crocheted people’s pets! I really enjoyed crocheting in and of itself as a fun hobby, but especially enjoyed seeing strangers fall in love with my designs. I had monthly restocks and started going viral on social media which increased my sales. What I really like about crochet is how I can intersect my activism *craftivism haha*. I did an LGbeeTQ launch wherein I crocheted and sold bee plushies with the colors of each sexuality as the stripes. It was very popular. My business has grown and evolved with me: I no longer take customs as I am a full time college student busy with studying. But I do enjoy crocheting what comes to mind in the moment and I hope that others do too.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Right now I currently offer a variety of crochet plushies in addition to crochet scrunchies. More and more people are starting to value unique handmade gifts, and Purple Pear is here to satisfy. What sets Purple Pear apart from other crochet businesses is the inclusion of “stoner” related products, such as rasta colored plushies and crocheted lighter holders. Purple Pear is developing into a more edgy crochet business, one that is cute but also quirky. I want people to know that I have always wanted to run my own business full-time and be an entrepreneur. Purple Pear was my first taste of this independence and I have since fallen in love with being my own boss. Purple Pear has earned me the funds to start investing and setting money aside for my first car and house. While I have other companies, it was always be “my baby.”
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Back in the beginning of Purple Pear, I went viral on twitter for crocheting people’s pet lookalikes. Everybody was clamoring for one, even famous people. I got so many DMs and I excitedly accepted everybody’s request. I had a 6 month waitlist. It sounds like enjoyable success, but I was really drowning. I had no time to crochet what I love and no creativity. I was stressed from being backed up by orders and it was challenging communicating with every customer about their specific pet’s features. I ended up having to refund some orders and instead switched to a monthly restock model with ready to ship plushies. I stopped accepting customs and I immediately felt a huge relief. My products are no longer guaranteed to sell but this new business model is so much better for my mental health.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I always used to compare myself to other artists online. I felt jealousy whenever I saw newer businesses gain traction faster and sell out quicker. My biggest lesson I had to unlearn was that there was a limited amount of success that we all were competing for. My therapist helped me realize that there is room for everybody at the top and one artist’s success doesnt mean I cant also be successful. Once I realized this I was able to alleviate some anxiety about the performance of my business and instead focus on the reason I started it in the first place: my love for crochet.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shoppurplepear.com
- Instagram: @shoppurplepear
- Other: Tiktok: @shoppurplepear