We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Paula Brady a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Paula, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a time you helped a customer really get an amazing result through their work with you.
We hand design embroidered and print Clothing & Apparel, Adult to Baby. In the past six months we have begun offering personalized print and embroidered products. The challenge came when a customer requested a long sleeve shirt with not one nor two designs in mixed embroidery and print colors but three designs, two in the front and back with a third on the sleeve. She explained that her group specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and the turtle is their mantra for patient wellness. She also needed this done quickly. Could I create this for her? Somehow I would figure this out, Racing through my mind as she’s waiting for my answer was this: 1. never commit to fulfill an order if you can’t make it happen and 2. satisfied customers are the basis of growing a successful business.
I agreed to do it; made it a priority to figure it out and got back to her with an estimate and timeline. Having learned from earlier failed customer requests to personalize clothing, I first sent a customer invoice with payment options. Only when that payment arrived did I begin producing that Order.
In keeping my due date, the customer was thrilled with the resulting personalization. And that one order will result in subsequent orders for not only that South Carolina Office but the Company’s Tennessee facility.
Success achieved: an expanded product design, a happy customer and trusted working relationship; profitability.
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?
I have always loved the ocean and have wanted to own and manage my business. My careers have varied over the years from education (e.g. earning a Masters in Education (Ed.M) to selling products, living in Paris and returning to find the only job as a warehouse ‘picker’ for dog pooper-scoopers before landing an entry level Call Center job. Not having much money but needing to find myself, I moved to Paris for two years on a student visa. Before that I traveled across Canada and throughout the northwestern US and down to Mexico for 6 months by my ‘seat of the pants’. Returning to Boston, I worked at a high end restaurant before moving to a Paris attic as an Au Pair taking care of five children, attending school to learn french and modeling at schools of art for francs. It was a wonderful life that was full of more challenges than I allowed myself to acknowledge.
In returning back to the US I continued being resourceful, keeping my eyes and ears open and working diligently to enter high tech. Three years later I was married and in another four years, finished an MBA while working at a financial Company. It was 1992 and I was the mother of one and then, two children and I was still ‘clawing’ my way through my career, often as one of the only females in a team of males. I remember returning from a 12 week leave and finding my desk empty. Everything had been taken and my manager was asking, “What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to come back. You just had a baby.”
Keeping an eye out for opportunity, I read a lot to learn about what was to be the latest and greatest product. Over several years, I became a Fortune 500 US Domestic Product Manager and then International Product Manager for Asia.
In 2015 and retired, I moved to Charleston, South Carolina and its beautiful surrounding beaches. I was in heaven and had always loved sea turtles. Being respectfully diligent, I wanted to become an active member of Charleston’s Island Turtle Team. Reading about their end-of-year party, I introduced myself to the head of the Team who said there were ‘no openings’. After six months of several”hello, how are you, do you remember me” emails to Her, she replied that there was one opening. It was ‘kismet with focus’ and I was in. That was 8.5 years ago and too many beautiful sunrises on my beach route looking for turtle tracks to recall, A turtle patrol team member looks for turtle tracks, checks for a body pit and hopefully, finds a newly laid nest. From there, we monitor each nest protecting it from coyotes, dogs and humans. In about 60 days, the nest “boils” and we wait 72 hours to determine if any hatchlings remain who did not make it out of the nest and to the ocean, with the others. An environmentalist, I have also been an active volunteer with the SC Coastal Conservation League and Dept of Natural Resources (DNR) to recycle oyster shells, help build oyster reefs and participate in quarterly efforts to restore area salt marshes.
At Shopthelowcountry.com LLC we offer hand designed and embroidered Sea Turtle Clothing & Apparel, Adult to Baby. Also offered is Personalized Clothing in embroidered ocean colors, gold and pewter thread for Charleston Beaches and in sayings such as, “I Love Sea Turtles”, “Take Me to the Ocean”, “Journey like a Sea Turtle” and “If you’re looking for me come to the beach”. Products include Organic Ribbed Beanies, Organic Totes; Long Sleeve and Short Sleeve Crew shirts; Joggers; Hoodies & Sweatshirts; Pique Polos; Toddler embroidered Jackets, Shirts, Onesies and Bib Sets.
It was in January, 2021 that I designed my first Print: an oyster “O’Shit” shucker shirt that I and found my soul. I love the creative process where I decide image(s) and color(s). Painstakingly, I learned skills over the next year that evolved into embroidered imagery and became the Company’s Sole Proprietor, Bank account, credit card and all. The Company and I slowly grown together, somehow moving forward two, back three and kept going. To survive without a ‘Backer’ or ‘Angel’, I looked for cost efficient ways to grow such as 30 day Trials, free apps for writing contracts, Small Business Association seminars, Business conferences that offered free legal seminars (e.g. how to establish one or more LLCs, etc.). and how to evolve into multiple LLCs and a Holding Company to reduce Company risk. I applied for SC Service and Trademarks on what I had designed. I acknowledged that I needed expert help to design a website and to save money, learn everything about the Company’s Shopify and clothing size app to maintain a web presence. There was also learning Instagram Business with reels, stories, posts; how to create a Meta shop and later, a Google shop.
I made and continue to make mistakes but I am proud to say, learn from them. What is important is to make every effort to not look back. I tell myself that every failure is a learning experience and success can’t be achieved without it. Resiliency is the key. No matter what, you have to keep going and learning: how to maintain the Shopify website, hiring people I meet and want to photograph wearing new products.
It is my background that sets me apart from others. By embracing the new and unknown, whether it be changing careers or moving to another continent’s country to learn the language, I grow in failing; I succeed in learning and then I thrive. My pride is in accepting input, asking for feedback, figuring things out and not giving up.
One important decision this past year, in addition to shopthelowcountry.com website, was to apply to be a vendor at SC area Farmers Markets. After initially getting turned down or accepted as an alternate, it has grown into regular vendor’ing. This has not only provided additional income needed, it has importantly allowed an opportunity to get to know a network of vendors who I have grown close to and appreciate. Over time, this earned trust becomes a ‘give and take’ of caring, exchanging new Market connections and learning from one another. It is the best.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Since I was growing up, I learned that if you want something whether it’s a toy, a piece of candy, even a change in careers – you determine who is the most successful person you know or could approach, and just ask. Doing that gives you focus and direction. Sometimes you will travel down a path less taken though I’ve found it true that ‘…this has made all the difference’.
After realizing that I could start a Company, I was working a security side-job at a successful Charleston lawyer’s event. For hours, I saw this lawyer shake hands with attendees and ensure her delegated staff was in control of the day. When I saw her near my area I took the opportunity. By approaching with a smile, I got her attention and had 10 seconds to keep it, mentioning one of her best commercials. After all, she is a well-known lawyer. She stopped, smiled and began talking. “Telephone books”, I spent the money I had at the time to advertise in telephone books.” I volley’d with how successful her practice had become. “And that made the difference”, I asked? “Yes”, the lawyer answered. “Just stay focused on what you want. Then spend enough money on it to get there.”
So I did. To get customers to find my website, I found the best SEO (Search Engine Optimization) team that had over 1,000 five star reviews. They said it would take at least 3 and likely 6 months to build up both on-site and off-site pages, Keywords, etc. I was focusing on what I wanted – to grow the Company and get a higher conversion rate on visiting customers who purchased. I would spend enough money on it to get there, which was their Basic fee of $500 per month. The details on what the contract provided and their on-going communication was excellent.
Unlearning this lesson that success will happen if you keep spending money on it was painful. Months 5, 6 and 7 did not show enough growth rate in customer conversions to justify the $500 per month cost. And so I ended the contract at month 8 with no regrets except money spent that did not pay off. My Company emailed (cc’d) the owner thanking him for his professional service and detailed the excellent service and attention given by the assigned Team. They replied back saying they understood and in that, no ties were broken should there be enough money in the future to try again.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In one situation, I changed my schedule to re-prioritize that the time spent in my attending a free, 4 hour networking event for small business hosted by the City of Charleston, SC, was more valuable than what I had already prioritized for that day. Yes, I needed to meet a deadline to create clothing designs and place the order to meet that 20% discount with free shipping. However, after research confirming that over 50 City groups for small business support would have exhibitor tables, I changed plans. Armed with a tote bag containing a variety of products, designs and colors for adult, youth, toddler, and baby, I was ready. And don’t forget too many business cards and of course, to dress ‘up’, review my 30 second elevator ‘pitch’ on what my Company does and it’s value to customers, and of course, wear my best smile.
Having pre-selected and prioritized exhibitors, I secured the day’s agenda to read the start times for the legal seminars and those booth locations in the Ballroom. In order, I walked by each one and kept walking if there was a line, keep going with my plan to circle back. After the second lap of seeing a long line at one unknown table, the exhibitor was ‘open’. and I was interested. I smiled when approaching and gave him a complement – always genuine – or it will fail. I then asked him a question about how his company supports small business, followed by examples. He responded adding he enjoyed working for the company. In a conversation, it’s critical to take a genuine interest in what someone is saying to you and ‘volley’ using one or two of the examples given. When I asked to show him my product – I’d already started taking one from my tote (; – he said that he ‘loved the product’ and that he thought he could ‘help my Company.’
To me, it was 360 degrees of magic and then this happened. “Before I can assist you’, he added, ‘you’ll need to be certified by the City of Charleston as a minority woman business owner’. “Okay” I said and then he added, “and you will need to be nationally certified as a minority women business owner by the organization that oversees the process and credentials required, WBENC.” I tried to keep a poker face but it was tough. Already running through my overflowing brain on what I had to do to get my Shopify site found on the web, my head was like a one armed bandit in Vegas. Only this time, the dollars raging through my eyeballs were what more money and time I would need to spend. To start a business takes money – either yours or other peoples’ (OPM). And the fact is, when you start a business, everyone wants your money. The easiest thing you can do is spend it. The challenge is to make it, bringing the money IN so your Company can make more money, survive and flourish. I smiled, exchanged pleasantries and thanked him for his time.
While I was walking away, I googled his company website and there it was, a picture of him with his title: “CEO of (his) large organization that oversees the southeastern US to assist small businesses! I turned around and walked back, holding up his photo. “It’s you” I said. He smiled at me and answered, “Yes it’s me.”
Weaving in what I determined to be a priority to grow my Company, I obtained the Certification from the City of Charleston as a Minority Owned Business; I applied and began the national certification process that has taken many months of digital submissions with hundreds of uploaded pages of required documents and several re-submissions. I have updated the CEO along the way, and last month, had a final ‘Zoom’ interview that involved submitting subsequent and final, documentation. Now I wait for the Committee to thoroughly review all, giving their decision on whether national certification is in my Company’s future.
And after many, many months of carving out time from an already fully scheduled day to grow my Company, we shall see if the time spent pursuing this utmost credential for my Company’s growth was worth it. The way I look at it, even if I fail I succeed. I have learned much through the trials and tribulations of this process to think otherwise.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopthelowcountry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopthelowcountry
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/shopthelowcountry
Image Credits
I have taken every image that is uploaded. They include a photo of shopthelowcountry.com tent where we vendor throughout South Carolina Farmers Markets; an Instagram Reel for new products on shopthelowcountry.com online storefront on Shopify; our new winter product, “Beanies – Make a Statement”‘ (we also Personalize Products); Instagram reel that shopthelowcountry.com shares Volunteer Opportunities for Salt Marsh Restoration, Oyster Recycling and Oyster Reef Building; image of me wearing a Salt Marsh Restoration hat where we built over 100 oyster cages to create needed oyster reefs. We donate our Oyster Shucker T-shirts to Dept of Natural Resources to engage more Volunteers for Oyster Recycling throughout the year; a sunrise photo of my Turtle Tracking route on Sullivans Island, Charleston, SC, with the Island Turtle Team since 2015; an image of me releasing nine turtle hatchlings, after monitoring the nest for 65 days after I found it on my sunrise route.