We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mykaela Irinaka a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mykaela, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

My first customer was my mom’s co-worker. My mom is a little vertically challenged and I had painted a step stool for her classroom. It was the perfect blend of cute and functional. Her student teacher saw it and loved it. To my surprise she messaged me and asked how she could order one with her favorite book character on it. I had so much fun working with her on the design and giving the wooden step stool new life. She was over the moon when she saw the finished product and I loved that I had brought that joy to her. I had so much fun creating that one that I decided to paint a few more and see how they would do at a local craft show. I really had no idea what I was doing as I prepared for the show. I took one table, had a little chalkboard sign with my business name and I believe eight step stools. To my shock I sold all but two of them and had people asking me if I could do custom orders. It was so exciting to see that I could make people happy with my hobby. Painting these was a way for me to unwind and relax. I never dreamed that I could make it into a business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a work at home mom and business owner. We have three daughters ages 7, 18 and 19. Our oldest is full needs and Colorado is one of the few states that will let a parent be a paid caregiver. I have always loved art. I used to scrapbook and do other art projects throughout high school. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training and was an independent contractor for an orthopedic brace company prior to our move to Colorado in 2017. My daughter was born in 2015 and my nesting went into hyper-drive as I made the majority of her nursery decorations. After she was born, I continued making gifts for family and friends. Painting a step stool for my mom’s classroom turned out to be momentous for me. This led to a custom order and then deciding to do my first craft show. My first show was a success and I kept doing more craft shows. In January of 2017 we got a phone call that would forever change our lives. My boyfriend’s ex-wife had unexpectedly passed away. We ended up moving to Colorado from Illinois later that year so his two daughters wouldn’t have to leave their home or schools. We were fortunate to have their aunt and uncle care for them until we could make the move. I found myself in a new state, knowing virtually no one and working at home as a caregiver. I continued to paint and create different home decor items and signed up for local craft shows as a way to get out of the house and meet new people. I haven’t stopped creating but I have changed what I create quite a few times. For the past three and a half years I have been creating tumblers. It is functional art that brings so many people joy. I work with a wide variety of art mediums, so each tumbler is unique and has its own character. I am self-taught with all of my techniques, and there was a lot of trial and error to perfect my processes. I do a lot of custom orders and it’s a great way to get to know my customers. I strive so hard to make sure every customer is happy with their purchase, and they know that I am putting a piece of my heart into every work of art. My business continues to grow each year. Last fall I was able to move my workspace from our dining room to my shed. It still amazes me how much I have grown and how many people continue to support me not only by placing orders but with their kind words and encouragement. In 2020 when the pandemic hit, I wasn’t able to continue to do craft shows and found some amazing small shop groups to sell my products online. This was a huge turning point for my business. These showcase groups have helped me grow so much both professionally and personally. Some of my best friends are other small shop owners that I have never met in person. We talk on a daily basis about anything and everything. I now have quite a few people who I look up to and who have mentored me as I figured out how to properly run an online business. I will be forever grateful for them.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding a business is never easy. I started as a hobby as a way to unwind and relax. I was working full time as an independent contractor for an orthopedic equipment company and was able to spend a portion of my paycheck for supplies. The money I made from my first craft show I reinvested into more supplies so I could create more products and pay for my next craft show. I have chosen to continue to reinvest in my business with each sale.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social Media presence is a must these days. I will be honest and tell you social media is hard. I do the majority of my social media posts myself with a small team helping me with Facebook. Social media content can be mentally and physically exhausting. I am the only one who makes my tumblers and therefore I am the only one creating behind the scenes content for Instagram and TikTok. Creating videos is still new for me. I have certain days and times that I record everything that I do. Then I will go in and edit and have all my content done for a few days to a week. Facebook gets the majority of my content since that is where I get 90% of my sales. I started my VIP Group in 2019 and that was the best decision I made. I wasn’t getting a whole lot of interaction on my business page. Having a group allows me to create a safe space for my customers to get to know me and my family as well as learn about my business. Consistency is key. It is the best way to keep up your algorithms and be seen. Be yourself. Customers like knowing you are a real person and not just a salesperson. Be honest. Life gets crazy and sometimes the unexpected happens. Being open and honest with your customers about shipping and turnaround times is very important. If your customers can’t trust your word and your character, they won’t continue to support you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.classyandsassydesign.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/classyandsassydesign
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/classyandsassydesign
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@classyandsassydesign www.facebook.com/classyandsassydesign

Image Credits
Photographs taken by me