We were lucky to catch up with Meg Mitchener recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Meg, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

First and foremost, passion is essential. If you’re not genuinely excited about what you’re creating, you’re going to have a hard time getting other people excited about it. And if you don’t love what you do, you’re not going to want to keep at it when things get tough.

For me, there is just something about creating designs you get to wear. I started creating as a hobby- making for family and friends to wear on vacations or birthdays, for fandoms I loved that big box stores skipped over, finding or making patterns that fit our interests. The hobby grew. I loved getting the question “where did you get that shirt? where can I find that bag”.

I did wonder if turning it from a hobby into a focused business would put me off, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. There is nothing quite like bringing a customer’s idea to life and seeing them love it. This is also a big part of why I love working with groups, teams, and fellow businesses. I remember exactly how I felt the first time I wore a shirt with my logo on it to an event. Getting to support entire teams and organizations with my designs is truly surreal.

I love the challenges that come with the design process. I’ve had the honor of designing apparel for milestones big and small, formal, and fun. In fact, as my repeat shoppers will tell you – no idea is too silly. I think that is an aspect of passion and success we don’t always talk about, but you have to be able to have fun with whatever you’re doing.

At the end of the day, that spark is going to motivate you to keep going. When you move to your fourth country in as many years, when you have to pivot, when you navigate through slow periods and world pausing events – your “why” is what is going to be what helps you succeed.

Meg, 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 Meg Mitchener, the stitch-witch behind Stay Lucky Supply Co.

An educator turned entrepreneur, mom, spouse, professional volunteer, and world traveler who found a way to channel my creativity and love of learning into a growing business.

In addition to custom apparel, I also offer fabric design and hand-sewn products. I love creating functional items with an emphasis on fun. I am constantly testing out new patterns or improving old favorites. I always try to source my materials locally. Each move provides possibilities, new products, and challenges.

One thing that I believe sets me apart is that I offer custom fabric design and printing. This allows me to create endless options for each client and deliver a one-of-a-kind product.

Recently, I have transitioned from traditional collections and one-off products, concentrating instead on bulk orders and limited runs. I mentioned it earlier, but when it comes to custom apparel, I really do love working on group collections. I think it’s so cool that I get to help educators foster school spirit, organizations increase their visibility, and help professionals stand out with branding. Being able to offer affordable bulk options to my community is important to me. I pride myself on transparent pricing models that don’t upcharge for certain sizes and give big groups a break when ordering sustainably, such as skipping individual bags or shipping.

I have been growing my business since 2016 but truly found my identity as a business owner in the last couple of years. Just this spring I was nominated for the 2024 AMSE Military Spouse Entrepreneur Award and was privileged to be a finalist.
A move in May has put my shop on a short pause, but I’m excited to get back into it now that we’ve finished unpacking!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As a military spouse, I feel like we’re Ross from that one scene in Friends, yelling PIVOT! over and over.
We are constantly having to pivot in all areas of our lives. It can be a bit discouraging sometimes. Between moving to new duty stations, possible deployments, TDYS, and changing shifts, you constantly have to reinvent the wheel.

For example, we spent the last six years in the United Kingdom. I felt like I had a handle on their business regulations, tax rules, and best practices. I had a solid audience, a supportive community, amazing regulars, and favorite market events. It wasn’t without its challenges, but overall it was an opportunity for stable growth and experience. I overcame a lot during that time and was feeling fairly confident in my business’s trajectory.

We recently received orders. Orders that we were extremely excited about and knew would be a great opportunity for our family. But even with good news, it still meant another move, another country, another set of rules, another period of closure, another tax process, another cloud of uncertainty. I was used to being comfortable, I was not ready! But as I begin setting up the new studio, unboxing the equipment, researching local suppliers, googling fabric shops, and pricing out shipping I can feel that excitement creeping back in.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Getting the chance to create the unconventional! It’s an amazing feeling when a crazy idea or technically challenging piece comes together into the perfect finished product.

We offer custom designs where customers can collaborate with us to create custom patterns or personalized graphics. Being able to offer this service was such a pivotal moment for me, both as a designer and a business owner. It’s something that I believe truly sets me apart.

A great example of this can be found in my favorite customization service – military Party Shirts! I feel like I don’t get to share this side of my business as much, but creating these formal dress shirts for customers is always a highlight.

“Party Shirts” are a long-standing military tradition. Their creation involves tailoring the formal military dress shirt so that custom, colorful sleeves and back panels hide under the official uniform. Once the official proceedings are complete, jackets come off and it is time to PARTY. I’m always honored when a customer trusts me with this process since it can be extremely personal and sentimental. It can also be off-the-wall fun. I’ve recreated a beloved Boston mascot as a paratrooper and even sewn on sleeves featuring photos of a spouse’s face.

By offering this level of personalization, I love that my customers aren’t limited by commercial fabric or purchased graphics. It is so rewarding to tell potential buyers that the sky is the limit!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shopstaylucky.com
• Facebook: Stay Lucky Supply Co

Image Credits

Professional Studio Shots by Annie Eaglen; Aieon Photography LLC
Canva Class Photo by Valerie Acevedo; Ace Visuals