We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Susan Hazel Rich a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Susan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I would like to challenge the idea of having a “regular” job. What is the definition of a “regular” job? Is it one that has healthcare and benefits? One that requires working in an office? It’s an interesting question that I get asked often, and I wonder why and how we define “regular.”

I started my brand Hazelmade ten years ago because I intentionally chose this as my career path. Before I had decided to go all in on Hazelmade, I had been working a series of what we often describe as “regular” or “normal” jobs. I learned a great deal from those positions but ultimately found that what I created through Hazelmade was more rewarding, fulfilling and challenging.

The biggest hurdle in my way before I went all in on Hazelmade was getting that voice out of my head that said I needed to work a “regular” job for security, practicality or to fit into what I felt I was expected to do. However, Hazelmade has succeeded because I dedicated all of myself to this career and worked hard to overcome what was perceived as “normal” or “expected” success. It’s a wonderful privilege to do this work, and at this point it’s the only job I could imagine for myself.

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?

My name is Susan Hazel Rich and I am the owner and illustrator of Hazelmade, a paper and home goods brand. For 10 years, I’ve been hand-drawing designs to create my line of products including kitchen towels, cloth napkins, greeting cards and more, all made with a focus on quality, environmentally-friendly materials. I work hard to ensure that every product is made in the USA, with many made in the Midwest. What’s unique about Hazelmade is I’ve built this brand around partnerships; each product I create supports anywhere from 2 to 5 other small, family run businesses. These partners help sew, print, even make the paper that goes into creating my products.

My studio is located in downtown Kent, Ohio, just south of Cleveland and north of Akron. This studio is where my team and I assemble, inspect, package, process and ultimately ship my products to nearly 500 wholesale shops and thousands of retail customers worldwide.

My motivation for starting my own company was simple: I was seeking a place to grow creatively while crafting products that connect people to the ones we love. One thing remains central to my idea of Hazelmade: I want to love the products I create and use them in my daily life. Along the way, I’ve discovered it feels incredible when my work is part of your homes and adventures, too.

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

Although I do hand-draw my designs, I do not make each product in my line. I partner with other small businesses to help sew, print and even make my paper. These individuals are experts in their own fields and help me achieve the quality and consistency Hazelmade has come to be known for. Early on, I didn’t know much about what it would take to create these products I was dreaming up. So, I met with workers at a local print shop and sewing company to express my visions and learn from them what was possible. Finding my vendors was a long process that included a lot of driving around, making appointments and having in-person conversations. Even though it was a bit difficult to meet in-person, that made sense to me. It resulted in a network of businesses and people I truly know, trust and can feel good about supporting.

For example, I wanted to include bandanas in my collection and needed to find a bandana vendor. There are not a lot of USA-sewn blank bandanas, and finding someone who could print the style I wanted was difficult. I wanted the bandanas to be printed edge-to-edge, have quality stitching, and a soft yet durable 100% cotton fabric. The process of finding the right vendor took years, but after researching and meeting with many companies, I finally found the right fit. I could have gone with a bandana vendor that didn’t quite meet all of my expectations, but I preferred to wait a few years until I found the perfect one. In my opinion, it is always better to wait and do something right than rush into something quickly and end up with a less-than-perfect result.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Consistency and slow and steady growth helped me to grow my reputation. When I first started Hazelmade, I said yes to everything from the smallest craft market to bigger gallery shows. I took every opportunity as a chance to learn how to talk about my work and process, gain confidence and receive feedback on my work. When I started to explore the wholesale side of business, I wrote handwritten notes tucked inside my printed catalog and mailed them to prospective buyers. Hazelmade’s growth wasn’t fast, but I showed up, did the work, learned at every turn and kept pushing forward.

I saw this slow and steady growth pay off recently when I exhibited at the Shoppe Object Tradeshow in New York City. So many buyers were already familiar with my brand and referenced the postcards and sample sets I’ve mailed, or the email introductions I’ve sent.

After 10 years, I think what sets Hazelmade apart is that the details really matter to me. Hazelmade’s customer service, quality of products and commitments to being environmentally friendly and USA / Midwest Made show that I’m both dedicated and passionate, which builds customer trust. I know the ins and outs of my products and I have a reason behind each of my design choices, from the weave of my tea towel fabric to the quality of paper I choose to my production methods. I think those details end up distinguishing my brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shophazelmade.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hazelmade/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shophazelmade/
• Other: https://faire.com/direct/hazelmade

Image Credits
Caleb Dane Young Photography- https://www.calebdaneyoung.com/