We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacy Simmons and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Stacy, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
The pop up market world has really contributed to my shop’s success. They are not for the faint of heart. Many hours, hard work, and sleepless nights to prepare for these events. I started popping up spring of 2021 and every since then I participate in a couple markets a month. Being an online store, I never get to experience a shopper’s reaction, or be able to explain each piece and detail. It can be challenging for shoppers get to know me, the maker behind the business while they are scrolling the website. It’s such a thrill and the hard work truly pays off when you see the happiness your creations bring to people. I noticed when I started doing pop ups it drove more traffic to my online store and created more buzz around my brand. If you are a new business just starting out and wondering if you should participate in a market-the answer is yes!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Leather is a durable and classic material. Leather reminds me of motherhood, that it can be both soft and durable. Traditionally, a lot of leather accessories are dark and bulky and I wanted to breathe some more feminine vibes into leather options. So far it’s been really fun, but I am no where I want to be with leatherwork-it’s truly an art form!
November Maker was born to make meaningful pieces for milestones, special occasions, and the sweet everythings in-between for you to love, gift, and celebrate. I had the intentions of creating a modern, “cool”, women’s leather jewelry line. As a boy mom, I never planned to make girl’s hair clips. Then I made a pair of leather bunny clips for Easter and everyone went wild. I never thought I would get to participate in anything pink, girly, cute-sy and now here we are-LOL. I’m obsessed with creating beautiful pieces for the little girls in your life.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my bestie visited me in Cypress I would take her to the The Boardwalk at Townelake — definitely the spot in town! I would take my bestie for some amazing brunch at First Watch. Then we would grab a coffee at The Coffee drip for an afternoon pick me up (gotta support the local shops). Then I would take her grocery shopping at HEB (I’m not joking) which is one of my favorite things about Texas (I moved from California 4 years ago). Then head back home with wine and pizza from Giannas, and in bed by 10!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Sounds cheesy, and it is, but my husband is truly the MVP. He is the most supportive, and has always been my #1 fan. Every dream, every crazy idea, and the terrible ones too, he has always believed in me and just wants me to be happy. And I am the most happy when I get to create and share it with all of you.
The small business community is one of the most supportive groups I am so grateful to be a part of. I have made the best of friends mostly from Instagram and from each market that I have participated in. Community over competition is what I
have experienced so far and the support of other businesses has been amazing!
Website: novembermaker.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novembermaker/
Image Credits
Photography by Rose Tello Brand Photographer All product and accessories images were taken by Stacy Simmons.