Welcome to the Side Hustlers podcast. I'm your host from my Heart Radio, Carla Marie. The whole point of this podcast is to talk to people following a passion outside of their day job, or people who have turned their passion into their full time job. And every single person who has been on this podcast is a small business owner, and now more than ever, we need to support our small business owners. So for the last few episodes, I have been talking to people who have been on the podcast in the past to hear how they are pivoting right now, and you're gonna hear from a few people in each of these episodes. This is my fourth installment of how to Help a Small Business Right Now. The craziest thing for me was that very early on in recording Side Hustlers, I learned that not everyone can be a side hustler, not everyone can be a small business owner. There's just some people who are wired to be able to do what these side hustlers and small business owners do. And now more than ever, that has been proven to me because the way that these people have pivoted their entire life and have come up with these ideas of things they've never even thought of. To change their businesses in this crazy time is mind blowing to me. And it's super motivational and inspirational and I can't wait for you to hear from the people from this week. But if you haven't heard any of these how to help a small business right now installments, go back and listen to them, because not only are these small business owners going to come out of this quarantine stronger than ever, but you're going to come out of this quarantine super inspired and ready to take on the world by hearing what they're doing right now. So don't forget. If you do support anyone who has ever been on Side Hustlers, take a screenshot of your order and d m me on Instagram at the Carlo Murray and I will get you a Side Hustlers sticker. In this week's episode, we are going to hear from Conscient. She is the owner of Chip Monkey Wine, the wine company that lets you personalize your gifts and send them to your friends. We're going to hear from Rammy, the owner of From the Ground Up SOS and the really cool thing he is doing for healthcare workers right now. We're also going to talk to Roxy from Lauterree handmaid if you remember, Roxy would handmake accessories and purses. And she's also pivoting her company right now. And then we're gonna talk to my good friend Kelly from Rawl Like Kelly sells clothing, but she's also had to pivot because people aren't buying clothes to go out in or close to where to work. So we're gonna hear how Kelly has changed Rawlick. Okay, let's hear how these small business owners are pivoting right now for a lot of people. You know, why are you? Why do you know what you want to do? And this is something you want to do and do it. I'm a hustles side side hustle do it. I'm a hustle hut do it. I'm a hustle side side us. Come on, ask about me, yo yo. It's the side Hustless podcast we call the Root. Now you may remember this person from a few months ago. It's Conscient from chip Monkey Wine. Hi Conscient, Hi CARLOI thanks for being here or being at home and talking to me on zoom. So you have chip Monkey Wine, which is this amazing gifting service for people. I'm gonna have you explain what your company is so I don't butcher it. Well, yeah, it's a way to connect with those you care about, using really tasty, soundly selected, high quality wine as a vehicle. And it's a really cool I know that you gave me a wine for um, getting my house, purchasing my first house, and you had a card in there, which was really cool. It was a picture of me holding the key to my house. So it's not only just you know, gifting a bottle of wine, like you really personalize it and make it like this experience that no one's been ever been able to do before. So it's really cool what you do. But obviously right now it is a weird time because people are scared about spending money. So has that impacted chip Monkey at all? Yeah? You know, I definitely noticed when all of this mayhem first started that people weren't really gifting. Everyone was, I think worried about you know, getting enough toilet paper themselves, and their groceries and their pantry stocked, and and really looking inward on taking care of themselves and their families, you know, which is understandable when in time of uncertainty. And now I'm finding that the gifting is really ramping back up where people are missing your friends and missing their connections and really wanting to reach out and realizing that you could still help someone celebrate their birthday or your parents anniversary or you know, mothers Day is coming up. And I think people are sitting there thinking like, wow, I can still connect with these people even if I can't do it in person. It's true because I think there was a little bit where I kind of forgot obviously what day it is, what date it was. I forgot my cat's birthday. I mean I was so mad about that, but you kind of remember, oh, birthdays are still happening. You know, milestones are still happening, and this is a great way to give someone. You know, maybe you can't go to a store. I mean, even when you can go to a store, this is a great way to give someone in a personal way. But this is super convenient right now to be able to give someone sucked a personalized thing. And everyone is talking about drinking their wine at home. So this amazing. But not only are you business as usual, but you're doing something new, something you've never thought of before. That quarantine and social distancing has led you to so tell everyone about what that is yeah, so I was in it. I'm in a networking group and a lot of the business owners were talking about how their businesses on hold or they you know, they're non essential, and I just was thinking, like, I wonder if there's a way that I can just bring a little joy to people. And so I decided to host this wine trivia happy hour for the group. And it's super casual, and and when the day came to do that, I was so stressed that day. You know, I have two little ones at home trying to run this business. My husband's super busy with his work and just juggling everything, and I thought, why did I add this to my plate. I already have enough going on. Well, we did the happy hour and it ended up being the highlight of the day by far. It was just such a fun group and a fun way to bring a little bit of laughter and joy and connect with others well, and I'm sure everyone else also thought it was the highlight of their own day to not just your day. Yeah, so thanks. I was actually really surprised. I got emails afterwards from the group saying, oh my gosh, can you do this for my friends? Can you do this for my coworkers, and I thought, you know what, why not, like, let's do this, Let's let's bring more joy and connect. And it was so fun for me too, so I decided to do this little fundle where as a way for you too, if you're an employer or a boss or a group leader and it work um that you can connect with your team by sending an employee appreciation gifts. So you can use my service gifting company to send you know, thanks for all you do, or hey, hou'se quarantine going for you gifts where I'll pair the wine to these occasions and you can add your logo to the card or a group photo of your your team. Make it really personal and personal message to every single employee, individualized if you want. And if you send to a team of ten or more, you know, usually we we I'm working with businesses with teams about ten to twenty people. I will throw in a wine trivia happy hour on Zoom virtual happy hour for free and we can all have a blast, and that for team members can open that wine during it if they haven't already, and just have some fun. It's really cool that you've been able to kind of pivot to this because it's something that we're lacking right now, our networking or team bonding because a lot of companies will do happy hours or monthly events, whatever it is, and that's clearly not happening right now. So it's the same idea. You know, you're not thinking about work, you're not talking about work, but you're drinking and you're bonding, and it's it's cool that you've been able to obviously make money on your own for this, but kind of give that back to people. That's something that they lost that no one realized, like, oh, I need this more than I could have imagined. So it's amazing that you were able to do that. But what was that first moment when you thought about, oh, I could do this for companies. Because I know it's still it's still new for you, you're still putting all of this together. But what was that first moment when we were like, oh, I should do this and make it a certain Yeah, I don't even think I had that moment. I think it was the response that people gave me that they were saying, can you do this for me? You really need to do this, Please do this for my employees, Please do this for my friends and and I was like, all right, let's do it. Why not? People are asking do you think after quarantine and social distancing, you're still going to do things like this? You know, I might, you know, Let's see where this takes me, And um, it was so fun and I look forward to putting these together. Have a couple of businesses already signed up and interested, so I'm super excited to see how it goes. And we'll see. You know, I'm still super passionate about gifting and the connection that can best through gifting, and especially gifting quality wines, so that's always going to be my focus. Um, but we'll see. Yeah, let's see where the road takes us. Well, the last time everyone heard from you on Side Hustlers, you had just signed the lease, are about to sign the lease for a brick and mortar location, so you have been working from home and finally you were about to get the wines in a place where people in Seattle at least could go in taste the wines and order gifts for their friends in store. Now, obviously things for a little different. Right now. What happened and where are you at with that location? Yeah? So unfortunately I signed the lease about a week before all this may started, So total bummer there. So I get to pay for a space that's just sitting there. But you know, luckily I hadn't moved the wine from the warehouse yet, and um, that was a blessing in disguise because I was just about to you know, it's kind of like days away, and so I was able to keep my liquor license at the warehouse spot and basically still operating my business. So um, in a way, luckily it worked out timing wise. But you know, I still can't wait when this is all done to jump in there and fix up the space and get it ready for pickups and tastings. And it's still something I'm super excited about and I want to be able to meet a lot of people who are interested in the product and work some more connections. So okay, so the studio, when you were, you know, getting ready and getting to set it up, the whole point was that you were going to move everything away from home. Obviously you're still home. You've been working from home for a very long time, and you have kids. So give those tips for people who are now working from home with their kids and going a little crazy. I have no tips, just drink perfect. Yeah. So my kids were at school before and now they're both home. They're both little, and you know, I think that's one of the reasons. I added some occasions like how's homeschooling going for you? So the idea is, you know, regroup the to carry the three or do that voodoo new math. There's a wine for that. That's so cool paranting plus teaching where that wine does not add up. It's very true and it's funny that your slogan is there's a wine for that, And little did any of us ever think there would need to be a wine for homeschooling for everyone and quarantine. So go to Chick Mounkey Wine to get that wine for your friend who is really struggling with the homeschool thing. Yeah, and then you can have a little virtual happy are yourself and connect over that for sure. So depending on when people are listening to this, the next big holiday we've got coming up is Mother's Day and a lot of people can't be with their moms right now, So gifting mom wine and a personalized wine with the personalized card I mean, moms would love just the card let alone, the wine and the card. So it's something really cool to get mom right now out And obviously, if you've got a team at work, whether you're a boss or an employee, make this happen. Go to chip Monkey Wine dot com support Conscient and get some wine for yourself and your co workers and everyone in your life. Conscient. Thank you for being here or home. Thank you, thank you so much for having me. Okay, so coming to me now from not far away, but since for social distancing very far away is Rammy from from the ground Up Socks. Hi, Ramy, Hey, Carla Maria, how you doing. I'm good as good as we can be right now. So you were on Side Hustlers not too long ago, right as your your main episode when I think that aired in November? Yeah, okay, that makes sense. As happened, it feels like it was actually way sooner than November. That's wild. Okay, So in November we hid you on the podcast and you talked about from the ground Up socks. But I'm gonna make you do a quick explanation for anyone who didn't get to hear your full episode, which I'm gonna put in the description of this podcast so everyone can check it out. If they missed it, but explain what from the ground up socks is. So we're an outdoor sock brand creating high performance, stylish socks that feature local mountains on them, like Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, and the big thing that we do is donate five percent of every sale to our partners at Washington Gail's Association to help protect and preserve our trails and public lands. So at the time you had given me some socks and you're like, I'm telling you where these when you're hiking, skiing, whatever. So I am sucked up painting the ads. When it has come to socks, like my whole life and especially skiing, I struggle. So the one time I got to ski this season, I wore my socks and they were freaking amazing, like so amazing that you weren't kidding, you weren't lying your truth. And then I trained for my first ever five K and at the time when we spoke, you didn't have compression socks yet. So I started training for my five K and I was like at the chiropractor every week, complained about my legs, my feet, everything hurt. You didn't know that, and you just reach out to me You're like, hey, I see your training for a five K. We've got some compression socks I want you to try, and I said, okay, it was smooth selling. After that, I'm super glad. It was crazy and I ran the whole five kame I had no problems. And that leads us to what you're doing now with those compression socks and for healthcare workers. You've got socks for docs. So explain how that came up and what made you do socks for docs and what it is and how people can help. Yeah, definitely sou socks for docs. It's our newest campaign where with the help of anybody and everybody, we're shipping cases of our socks to different health care facilities nationwide. Basically, how it works is you go to our website and we're doing this by the case, which is six pairs of our seven inch crew socks or individually with our compression socks, and customers can choose which ones they want to send, and then all you have to do is place your order, choose a health care facility. You can even leave a note in our checkout page to give them some words of encouragement, and then we'll take care of the rest. It's really cool what you're doing. So when you first told me about it, it was kind of early on all this, and I was like, yes, amazing, Like so smart to pivot during this and to be able to help healthcare worker. I was able to send a six pack to my friend Maggie, who is working in New Jersey at one of the testing centers, which means she's literally standing on concrete all day long. So if people want to do that, like send it to someone specific, you said, they can just do the option that says let us decide, which would mean you let us decide and then in the notes put the exact address to send them to exactly. Okay, cool, so do that obviously. Or you can pick by state or by facility, which is super cool if you find your state and in an area. It was cool to see you had New Jersey on there and some New Jersey facilities. Love that. You've also teamed up locally with Joe Chocolate here and Joe Chocolate I know they have their chocolate that has caffeine in it, which is awesome. So what are you guys doing together? Around the same time, our friends over at Joe Chocolates had launched a similar campaign where they were shipping cases of their chocolates to health care facility nationwide, and so, being good friends with Sam the founder UM, we decided that we wanted to team up and essentially empower our two small businesses while allowing people to offer gifts to health care facilities as well. So now what we're doing is are called our socks and chalks for docks Camp. Look at you guys coming up with all the clever sayings. We're home alone. We got plenty of time to think about this stuff. So now we're we're shipping cases of our socks and cases of their chocolate to health care facilities nationwide as well. So that's been a really cool campaign. We thought we started with them about last week, so super excited by that. So people can go to ft g U socks dot com to see all of this. Is that the best place to send people to see that everything with Joe Chocolate and the socks or is there a different place for Joe Chocolate. Yeah, you can also go to Joe Chocolate's website. It's under their products listing as well, so you'll find there you'll see their cases and you'll see their socks and chalks cool. So this time of year in Washington is normally the time when we all get the hell outside, We get on the trail, we go hiking, we get our new hiking gear, we buy our new socks. But obviously we're not doing that. So I'm assuming it took a little hit for you ring all of this. Yeah, it did. I mean the first week that the stay at home orders were placed in, I had like five whole sale deals fall through, and honestly, like wholesales are main revenue streams, so that really devastated our business. You know, for a little bit. I was trying to figure out ways that you know, we can step up during this time and kind of adapt to the situation rather than sit back and um. That's kind of where the idea for socks for Docs came in, just seeing other awesome brands stepping up and like providing healthcare workers with their products, and you know, us being able to provide the resources we have to support those health care facilities as well. So it's obviously awesome that you're able to come up with something so amazing out of something that's not the best. You have been obviously running from the ground up socks from your home for how long now has it been. It's been about a year and a half. Okay, so work from home isn't anything new to you. Nope, I got the whole home office set up and it's awesome. But what kind of tips do you have for those of us who just started working from home and any need tube at all, we'll take it because we're struggling. Well. I found that honestly, establishing routine in your day is the most crucial part. And it's tough because of being self motivated. Is it's a challenge to do that. You know, have somebody telling you, hey, show up to the office at nine o'clock and you know you've got to be here until five. So I found that routine really does help, you know, wake up, make your bed, go shower, take some time in the morning for yourself and really get your mind right. And I usually have a cup of coffee and kind of warm up to the world before I start working. And then from there it's you know, start working in the morning and I usually go until noon and I take a little break and it's totally okay, go for a walk, go enjoy the sun. We're having this great weather right now, and then you know, whatever you have for the rest of the day of the afternoon, just go back to your computer and see what you have. Get to it. And I learned early on that to do a routine or to take breaks, because I sat in the same seat for twelve hours one day, and so yeah, I didn't realize. So what I started doing was after our show, I'll unplug my computer and I will go to my couch at least so that I'm moving because at work, I'm in the studio and I have my office, and then I'll also come home and do a little bit of work from home. So I'm moving around and switching things up, and I'm doing that and also trying to do a midday workout because normally I would come home from work and work out at like two pm maybe, but now I'm just there's no routines, so I'm working, working, work, and then I'm like, oh, it's seven pm. I have to go to bed. I forgot about a workout. So trying to do that whole, like you said, go for a walk or do something in the middle of the day to break it up, makes such a difference. So You're right with that, so thank you for that. Okay, So people need to go to f T g U socks dot com to support you, to support our healthcare workers. They can also find out about everything Joe Chocolate and then they can follow you on Instagram, which is ft g U socks. So from the ground up socks. I know. At first I was like, what are all these letters? Am I ever gonna remember them? I got them now, so I got I'm glad. I'm glad. It was a tough handle. I had to figure out that couple years ago. So you know, yes, typing out from the ground up socks PA probably Okay, So go to ftg sos dot com, donate talks to a healthcare worker or a health care facility. You can do it all there. And Robby, thank you for being here. Thank you so much. Carla Marie So Roxy was actually on a few episodes ago, which is crazy that you're back already with Lanaree Handmaid. Hi Roxy, Hi carl Marie. So people if they didn't check out your episode for some reason, you handmake awesome handbags and clutches, which I am now the proud owner of a super cute clutch which I love. And you also homeschooled your children because you were a teacher and your kids have been home So people can go to Launoy Handmade dot com to check out everything that you do. Obviously, but you and I were talking earlier this week because I have enlisted you to make super cool leather pillows for my day bed in my guest bedroom because I have nothing else to do right now, so I'm like, well, let me start decorating. And we were on FaceTime and you started telling me about what you're doing right now as a business, and I thought it was super cool, and I wanted to get you on the podcast to tell everyone that you are making masks that people cannot only buy. But you did some awesome things too with mass originally. So at what point did you say, Okay, I need to switch my business a little bit to actually make masks instead of clutches and handbags and backpacks right now. So at first, it was, you know, for everybody, a huge shock and kind of like what do I do now? Like I felt like the world was in such a panic. I didn't know if anybody would want to be buying purses. I didn't really feel like making purses, Honestly, it was like I was sitting around every day, like where do I go and what do I do? And I don't want to be selling the people during such like a time of panic, and I wanted to help in some way. And so over the first week or so, I started getting people emailing me, like news clips and articles about how the masks were in such demand because paper masks and and ninety five and surgical masks weren't available. So my cousin, for example, works in the e er and I have another friend in the I see you, and they were being asked, especially the e er ones, were being asked to use there's surgical or in any five masks over and over again. And yeah, they would use them for like three days, sterilize them, and then use them again. One of my cousins they would leave their mask and then get a new mask for the next day, but they didn't know who used it the day before they were doing with it, and just yeah, she's like I don't want that up against my face. Like even if I could have a cloth mask with the paper mask in it, and then it's like not directly touching my skin, I feel like I have like a little bit more protection so I started making them for her first, and I actually know a lot of nurses and a few people that are doctors and p a s. And they asked me for them. And it's all of a sudden, it just blew up within like a day or two, how many people wanted them for me. Since I wasn't feeling like selling my purses and making purses for the first couple of weeks. It just kind of fell into my lap and I went crazy with it, and I put it on my Instagram and within two and a half weeks they had made three hundred and fifty on donation only. That's wild. Three on fifty. You helped so many people, which I think is the coolest and and I'm proud to know you and proud of you for doing that. And as a guess of this podcast, like this is what this community is. Like. You stopped everything you were doing. You stopped your business, your income to donate, which I love that you did that, and everyone does keep saying to me, I felt weird selling to people right now, And that to me is a true real business owner, because you don't do your business just because you want to take money from people. You do it because you love it and because you care about people. And I love that you said that, and I love that a lot of people have been saying the same thing to me. But you pivot and you figure out different ways to do things, and you got through it, and now there is a demand, like people want to buy math from small businesses, and you started to sell them for people, which I love and and they're super cute and they're cool and people can get them on your website lone handmade. And I know you're still donating to people that you know locally, which I love. But what made you originally say, Okay, I need to start selling them now because you were donating them and not giving them to the general public. What was that moment we're like, okay, I'll sell these. Yeah. So it's so strange, like how fast and slow things have been changing right now, like day to day the numbers change, everyone's feelings changed. What we're doing in the world is seems to be changing. And at the first week or so, I was like, I'll never sell these. That just seems like wrong kind of there's so many people who need them really bad for their job, and I'm just going to donate them. But then I had so many people asking me because they wanted to wear them out to the grocery store and everything that I started considering it. Then the county that I live in made it mandatory that any time you leave your house you have to wear them, and I think a lot of places are now if you're just going for a walk into the grocery store anything, and you're over two years old, you have to wear a mask, and they're finding people and that, Yeah, it's a thousand dollar fine or jail time. And I don't know any if anybody actually has been like fine or good for them, good for your doing that, because people aren't going to listen. I mean, I've seen a ton of people wearing masks because no one wants to get sick. I mean, you don't want it. You don't want to be the one to pass it to someone. So that's super cool that they're doing it, and it makes sense, like, Okay, you know what, there is a demand for them, people need them. Let's make them available and let's make them cute and let's do it. Yeah. So at that point I was like, I can't give them away for free to everybody. I'm not working right now, or making money, and I'm using so many supplies. So then I started selling them and I was doing like buy two, donate one, I'll make one to donate, and I'm just listing them in like small batches and still donating to all my local nurse friends and local hospitals. But yeah, there's a huge need. The other day I listed like fifty masks and within a couple of hours they were totally so people really want and I love that everyone's supporting small business for it, Like I've seen so many small businesses doing this, and it seems like everybody wants to buy from them. First. Absolutely for sure, there was like I forget what website put on an article of like all the places you can get a mask, and I was going through them at first, and they were like big name brands or like fashion designers and which I mean their companies too and whatever, we shop from them as well. But I was like, I don't really, it felt weird buying from a big name brand when so many small businesses were available. But at the time, I hadn't seen any small businesses making masks, and now I'm seeing it and I'm like, oh, this is awesome. I'm glad I waited. It is really cool, so good for you for doing that. But you when you were on the podcast originally we talked about how Lona Ray Handmaid was originally your side hustle to being you were a teacher, and then you left being a teacher to homeschool your kids, so essentially it still is a side hustle to homeschooling your kids. So as someone a parent, not granted, you were a teacher, so you obviously have a background than most of the parents right now, what are your tips for parents who are attempting to homeschool their kids right now? So, I know we talked about this the other day. I feel so bad because I see so many of my friends who don't typically homeschool, like stressing out so hard over it. And I know a lot of schools are sending out like a lot of work and it's taking them so many hours out of the day and a lot of frustration and tears because homeschool can be really hard to get used to the schedule, you know. And I think my best advice that I've been giving my friends is just kind of calmed down, It's only a couple of months, Like take it as you can. If your kids start getting frustrated and crying, like that's the point where you stop. You know, they'll be fine, come back to it later, and kind of relax a little. Like everything is not going to be exactly the same as if they were in school. I mean, not all of it done. Yeah, you can't really bring school home and like expect them to sit at a desk for like six hours a day. I know for us homeschooling, usually our day is done by lunchtime or one o'clock. You know, it's people can't wrap their heads around that. I was just talking, you know, my little sister, and she said something like, I just you know, all these kids like shouldn't they not shouldn't be in school now? She was talking about like maybe they should go back to school in August. And I said, yeah, I get what you're saying, because she was concerned about them missing out on stuff. I said, but think about it, it it is only a few months, which you also said, and I told her what you said to me, But I said, think about how much of your day when you were in school was switching classrooms, going to gym, which obviously I completely believe in pe classes kids should be outside playing to get that. But think about how much of your day was just wasted, and how like it's really only four to five hours of max of learning a day. And when you you know, when you take all the other business out of it, or you know, switching classes or you know, downtime, snack time, whatever may be, it's not that long lighting up exactly exactly waiting around for you know, there's thirty two kids or thirty kids in a classroom, so the teacher has to get to each of them, make sure everybody's finished before they move on. We're at home, like you only have that one child and or two or three whatever you know, per subper what you're teaching them, and when they're done, they're done and you move on to the next thing. So it really is a shorter day even though you're doing just as much. And sometimes like if you're having a hard day, I've always told myself, if I get in reading and math and we're having a tough day, then we're done. You know, they can go outside and like do nature study, which is science, and like tell them to do as little scavenger hunt where they look for a leaf and a rock and this color item or whatever, but they're going to get that throughout the day. Science can be cooking classes. Math can be part of cooking when you're using like a quarter cup, and just kind of bring that into your day the whole day and not really worry about what they're doing at school being exactly what they're doing at home, because it's not going to be like that. It's not going to work that way, absolutely not. And the same thing as a As an adult, you realize your job isn't the same now being home. For for most of us doing my morning show, it sounds completely different being home now. We do somewhat of the same things, but it's different because I'm in a microphone in my living room talking into a computer. It's going to be different. The same at Homeschooling is different. So I'm really glad we had you on. I didn't even plan on asking you about that, but I'm glad. I'm glad I did because it is awesome to hear from you on that. And when we first connected, I looked at you and I said, oh my god, you're so dressed up. What is happening? Why? Hell? Everyone? So it is a Friday heads up. While we're recording this and you told me today is what. So today's fancy Friday. Um. I usually work from home and home school my kids, but I get up and get dressed every day because we might be going to sports or whatever. But during quarantine, like, we're definitely not billing anywhere every day. So I've been wearing pajamas, no makeup, not doing my hair, and just to kind of make myself feel human again, I started doing fancy Friday, which I can't claim that title. I took it from a friend. One of my friends naked, and I think she got it from somebody else on Instagram. Um, and I do my makeup, my hair, I have a dress on. I like look like myself again. It's so cute because I feel kind of like the world is well. It's funny because in the normal world it's normally Fridays are casual, and we dressed down on Friday, so we've completely flipped at this point upside down. I love it, and I love you for this, and I want people to go support Lana ray handmade. I'm going to put the website link in the description of the podcast, but it's Lana l A n A Ray R a handmade dot com. Did I spell it right? Yeah? Okay, good Roxy, thank you for being here. Now go make my pillows today. I'm working on your pillows. Yeah, pillows, thank you, thank you. Okay. Joining me from not far away, which is sad that we're on zoom and not together, is Kelly, owner and mastermind behind Rowlick. Now, Kelly, when were you on the podcast originally? Do remember when that was? I think it was last winter, so like Dan wear before last really, so I'm gonna say I don't even I don't know date or anything anymore. So I just remember I was wearing a big furry code. Okay, so I know it's called You're right, You're right, it was went there. I do remember the furry code. So Kelly owned Rowlick, and Rowlick is this awesome online boutique where you can shop for the clothes that you actually want in your life, because you really do have everything, and you've you said I think when you're in the podcast that you put the clothes on there that you would want to wear, the comfortable, cute stuff that you would want to wear. And I'm a big fan of rolic. But obviously right now people are working from home and they're not necessarily going out to bars or dates. So what have you been doing as a boutique where people normally shop from to kind of pivot now that everyone's sitting on their butts at home. Yeah, you know, it's been. It's been well, first of all, just a big mindset shift because I feel like a lot like me, like probably everybody else in the world, when this whole thing started happening, it just kind of start reeling like, this is it, This is over, Like no one's going to be shopping are Like what am I going to do? So I kind of just didn't do me thing for a couple of weeks, just kind of like no one, Like I can't do photo shoots, A lot of my vendors are shutting down, Like it's just I just kind of came to a standstill. But then, you know, seeing how creative and inspiring so many different businesses were being kind of really got me to get my mojo back. And so yeah, so I really shifted kind of the product and philosophy behind the stuff that I'm bringing in, just based on what people need right now and what's bringing them comfort. So, you know, while normally this time of year, will be bringing in really fun like lightweight blouses and sun dresses and shorts and cute things because everyone's excited for spring and summer. Um. Yeah, started shifting to be more like comfy lounge where things that will still definitely be versatile to be able to wear past the corona time time of our lives. But yeah, just focusing more on what people are needing and wanting right now. So you're calling it the Quarantine Capsule collection, which I love, And it's how many pieces? Yeah, So it's about seven brand new pieces combined with a couple that we already had existing, um, and they're all very interchangeable, comfortable, versatile, just like that lounge where that you want to be wearing every day right now, but then also those pieces that you can also take with you throughout the rest of the summer and just all year round. So I'm launching it hopefully when this airs. The waitlist will come out today. It's funny last year I said, Okay, next year, I am not buying any more sweatshirts because all I do is buy sweatshirts at concerts and then I never wear them. In week one of just all of the social distancing. I was. I had gone through all of my sweatshirts, like my hoodies, my career necks, everything, and I was like, oh my god, I actually have a use for them now, this is great. Then I was mad at myself for not buying more. So I keep seeing everyone post these like cute matching loungeware outfits. Will there be matchy outfits in your Quarantine Capsule collection? Well, I'm so glad you asked. Yes, there will be. We have one full matching set that is so cute. It's like this pull over cowl, next sweatshirts kind of like across front, so it's different than your normal sweatshirt, something like very much like the Appalachia kind of look, and then some really cute joggers to go with it. And then again, like all the other pieces that are in the collection can like pair back to those or you can wear ma jeans and stuff. So yeah, I just wanted to be something that people can wear right now but are also valuable for the future and you can just get. But that's basically my whole philosophy about everything I bring in a roll because I wanted to be versatile stuff that you can get like millions of wears out of maybe not millions. That's probably a stretch. A lot of wears in our hands different ways, Yes, exactly. If you can't wear something more than one way, than like, what the heck is the point? No, absolutely with you on that one um shop rawl like dot com. By the way, I want to remind everyone and shop r O L L I c K so they can check out what we're talking about. The wait list should be up there by now. If not, I'm going to come kick your buck, Kelly, because I want to get on that wait list. So you're doing something else super cool with masks, and I want people to know about this because I've recently got a cloth mask and it's super cute. But I feel like we're gonna this is like a new thing in our life, and we're going to treat it like clothes and it's an accessory and you are going to need to buy more than one mask a because you're gonna have to wash this one. Say it's in the wash, what are you gonna do? And then I think it'll just be a fun way to accessorize when you know, in a time of this is crazy, I have to wear a mask. So you're gonna have masks on shoprolic dot com. Yes, absolutely, And it's so funny you say that because had you asked me like last fall to predict the trends for spring, I definitely would medic said face masks are gonna be so but it's so true, like people aren't wearing like ear rings or hair access there is isn't much right now. People need masks and you know, if you're going to be out and about in them, that's like your one adventure for the day is the grocery store. Yeah. Yeah, Fortunately one of my US made vendors, who's awesome, they're all family rent. They turned their production line into making all this protective wear both for consumers like you and me and then also a little bit more industrial strength stuff for healthcare work. And so yeah, some of the fabrics they were going to use for their spring and summer line they actually converted into masks. So we have three different versions that will have up on the site, and hopefully we'll be getting an even more. They're received well, so those are all for purchase. They'll and then beyond that too, just because you know, I want people to have access to Cete masks and be able to fulfill their needs there. But I want to be able also to like donate and contribute to those who are more in need that might not be able to purchase masks. So I've committed and it's going to be interesting to see how quickly I can do it. But for every mask webs purchased, I've committed to sewing um and donating a mask myself too, because throughout my years in the apparel industry, I've picked up a few sewing skills and at best, hopefully that will suffice for me making some masks. A lot of people keep saying, oh, you know, maybe you're gonna come out of quarantine with a new skill or new outlook on things. You may realize you can actually so and make clothes and you never know shop all maybe the clothes that you actually make, who knows what. That would be wild if that opened. So people can go online chop rolic dot com. You mail ship everywhere in the US, so no matter where they're listening from, they can order, which is super cool. They can get on the wait list for the comfy clothes. And the company that you mentioned that the mask, it's the same company that did look all the comfy clothes that you ordered, right? Yes? Yeah, and so again like almost all all pieces are made in the US, family and women run and owned, which is great. I'm trying to lean more into the whole ethical and sustainable side of the fact. Not easy, and yeah, it's it's hard finding those vendors. So I'm just so excited to support them because you know they're going through a hard time to hopefully if everything is received well, we'll be able to get some reorders back in stock. And yeah, I'm excited for it to hit the web. Have customers been reaching out to you after either getting an order or reaching out like on Instagram saying hey I want it? Like, are you hearing from people how it's like different for them shopping during all of this a little bit Like I've had a couple of people ask me actually if I was going to have masks, and that was what first sparked my idea for It's like, well, because it feels kind of a dicey territory, like I don't know, you know, you don't want to be profiting off of people's need for these things. But now that it's becoming almost like you said more of an accessory, it becomes kind of a service provider, Like I have access to these things, so it should be helping my customers get those also. But yeah, I mean, truth be told, it's sales the last couple of weeks. Then, once I got my motivation and inspiration back, I've actually been pretty good. That's a possible or yeah, they're looking for something to bring them comfort, and like the last round of product I brought in was very much in that realm spirits are as good as they could be right now. I think people are looking for things to bring home that comfort and coziness, and so that's what I hope to provide. Well, I was like you at first. The first few weeks, I I basically like sat around feeling sorry for myself. And it was more for me that I couldn't travel to be with my mom going through everything that she's going through right now, and I was just so sad. So early on that I hit got to a point and I said, if this quarantine ended Friday, whatever day it was, if this quarantine ended right now, and I was like, damn, what did I do during quarantine? I always talked about wanting to do things, Well, what did I do. I'm gonna be so mad at myself if I didn't do anything. I just sat at my couch and I was like, I'm gonna take this next weekend to just sit on the couch and do whatever I want to do, and then I'm gonna actually be productive. And it took me, Like you said, it was about three weeks really where I had that moment where I said, Okay, what am I going to do? Even if it's just organizing things in my new house and like figure out what a decorate I need to do something that I come out of this like, well, at least I got that done during that time, And I'm glad you were able to figure it out and piv in. It helps the rest of us that you're you did that because now we get a cute lunge where now you get the cute clothes. Yeah. No, it's been a total mindset shift. And I think ultimately, like we're all gonna we'll look back at this time in history. It's just a very weird time. We'll all make it through. It's just going to be something very bizarre to look back at. But I also think we'll come out of it a little bit kinder, more resilient, and you know, those of us in the small business world hopefully a little bit more creative and innovative because a lot of us are having to make those ships. I completely agree. And it's crazy that the last time I saw you was at my one hundredth episode, which it was kind of after like i'd say, ten days after that, it started getting a little a little weird here. We're like, this is kind of interesting because I was February twenty second, and my birthday was March five, and I remember Amazon closed on my birthday, so that wasn't much time in between. And we were a big group of people together, which is scared to think about at that time. But we had no idea that we would be like on a zoom call with each other talking about this because we couldn't be in person. And it's just it's wild. So I mean, thank you for coming to that. By the way, of course, I know I look back at it finally because it was probably less time I was with more than ten people. Nuts Okay shop rawlic dot com. Oh, support Kelly, get yourself some comfy clothes. You're supporting a small business and all, like Kelly said, everything in the Quarantine Capsule collection is made here in the US, and you're supporting a small, family owned operation, so that is super super cool. Kelly, thank you for for being here today, taking time out of your day, you know, coming live from my bedroom. It's been great talking to you. Okay, you just heard from four incredible people with incredible businesses. Support them if you can in any way possible. I've got all the links below for their website, their original episode, their social media account so you can support them. Thank you so much for supporting small business owners right now they need us more than ever. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. Thank you for staying at home and keeping everyone healthy. Don't forget to wash your hands, and until next week, keep hustling.