Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rosie Arias . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rosie , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I’m on a mission to keep the world warm one baby at a time.

When the idea of creating Whimsical Charm came to mind I wanted to provide a line of baby blankets that were practical, washed up well, and were stylish for any occasion. I wanted the blanket to provide baby with comfort, warmth and style. I wanted this blanket to be the item that would bring peace to baby when wrapped in it. I wanted baby to feel as if they were receiving a hug from their parents when wrapped in one of our blankets. With all of these intentions I went to work on creating a blanket that would become a special part of life for both baby and parents.

I put a lot of thought and effort into creating the collection of blankets.

Another main component consist of the energy that surrounded my business. Everyone carries an energy with them and I wanted to make sure those who touched the product was on board with my mission. When I create I’m in a peaceful state of mine and I am thoughtfully executing the design. This comes across in the product and guests recognize it when they walk into the store.

The ultimate satisfaction for us, as a brand, is when parents come back and tell us that our blanket is their little ones favorite. Baby receives the ultimate sensation when they touch the blanket and they pick up on the energy of love that I emit when creating these little master pieces.

In addition to the product line we hire local youth from our community and train them in all aspects of fashion design, retail, wholesale, trade and entrepreneurship. We incorporated a nonprofit to be able to offer training and work experience in different fashion related categories and age ranges from 14-24.

Rosie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The question wasn’t if I would one day become an entrepreneur, but when. By age 7, I was already doing single-needle hemming and crocheting. So it wasn’t surprising that I would ultimately create a business known for its impeccable needlework and distinctive embroidery. What may have delighted and surprised some people was the category I selected for my venture – baby blankets.

No longer in its infancy or learning to walk, Whimsical Charm is running confidently thanks to a growing customer base with an appreciation for distinctive, super-soft baby blankets and cozy robes featuring unique personalities just like the babies who love them.

“Looking back, I’m so grateful for how my parents contributed to where I am today. Yes, my mom taught me to sew, but she taught me so many other things about life. And my father was always an entrepreneur, so there was no question in my mind that one day I would grow up to become my own boss.”

My love of fashion started while watching my mom hand bead my sisters wedding dress. “I was clearly passionate about anything fashion-related, so after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, I worked for several companies large and small, including Guess?, Inc. Along the way, I gained invaluable industry experience in everything from contemporary to bridal, lifestyle to children’s wear, textiles to threads. I loved it!”

I do admit that the idea of starting a baby blanket company was really a happy accident. “One day I was shopping for a high quality, cute baby blanket as a baby shower gift for a very good friend. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything I liked anywhere, so I decided to make one for her myself.”

My gift was the hit of the baby shower, which got me thinking seriously about baby blankets as a possible business. I continued making blankets as gifts for friends while refining my technique, quietly doing R&D on everything from soft high-pile fibers and threads, to child button safety and embroideries, to current market conditions. After 12 years of working for others in the fashion industry, I knew the time was right to unwrap Whimsical Charm to the public in 2013.

Since then our brand has expanded into baby robes, apparel and accessories such as bibs, mittens and beanies. In 2016 we established our first retail store in Los Angeles. We continue to focus on our local footprint including the manufacturing of our product in Southern California. We continue to source high-quality fabrics and wash test everything I design before it hits the shelves. In 2017 our retail store/design space became a worksite for local youth to gain work experience in Fashion Design, Retail, Wholesale, Trade and Entrepreneurship.

I’m really proud of how much we have accomplished since inception. We have a nice following and I’m beyond grateful to our community of grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles who have supported our mission for the past 11 years. We turn 12 in April 2023.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

When I created Whimsical Charm I was working full time in the fashion industry and maintained there through the initial conception of the business. I used a portion of every paycheck to invest in pieces of the business. In 2011 I had the opportunity to sell real estate and that changed the game for my research and development stage.

The funding that came in through my real estate transactions was how I put together the initial capital I needed to start the business. These funds helped me complete R&D, pay for the initial production to start selling, fund the cost of participating in local boutiques and allowed me to start attending wholesale trade shows throughout the USA.

I did not see a need for outside funding that I declined offers for small business loans. I soon learned that wasn’t the best move. I was advised, early on, to apply for money when you don’t need it because in dire moments is when it’s too late to ask for it. I ignored the advice and soon found myself short on cash. This was the third year in business and I had challenges acquiring capital.

By this time I was no longer a full time employee in the fashion industry and my real estate business was to a minimum. I returned to the fashion industry, as a consultant in a part time capacity, and wiggled my way out of my capital dilemma. I continued to do this during my slow seasons until my business became stable enough to carry itself.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

With my background in the fashion industry, local manufacturing was a major contributor to Whimsical Charm starting out as its own manufacture. Initially, I designed and made the blankets myself. As I grew I outsourced to friends who had also established small businesses. This was a huge assistance for Whimsical Charm.

The first operation I outsourced was a cutting service. My friend was the owner, the cutter, the marker and the grader. I was able to increase my capacity and efficiency until I needed to outsource another component of the assembly line.

Year after year I continued this routine and found that it was most beneficial to our growth. While things were running smooth I did come across snags. One of the resources that was constantly fluctuating was the sewing contractors. I have tested and tried several throughout the year and this has been the most challenging part of the manufacturing process. Although, recommendations were provided by my friends in the fashion/garment industry, not all of the contractors/vendors specialized in the fabrics I use.

As this is still a challenge, we do prepare ourselves for future outsourcing by making sure we have an exact replicate of the item we need produced and thats is what we use to show potential contractors. This item is sewn exactly how we need it to be completed and this allows the contractor to properly review the sample and provide us with answers to our questions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whimsicalcharm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whimsicalcharm
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhimsicalCharmbyRosie
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/whimsical_charm
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/whimsicalcharm

Image Credits
Whimsical Charm