Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Pierce.
Hi Sarah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I accidentally started my business by making bows and earrings. My daughter, who is the epitome of a girly girl, wanted a new, fun bow for every day of the week. Being a pretty crafty person, I thought it would be fun to make her a bow and matching set of earrings. I posted a picture of the set on Facebook and got a flood of messages and comments asking if I was selling these bows. I figured why not, and started to make dozen of bows, seemingly overnight.
I was shocked. I had no intention of starting a business, as we had just moved to the area from New York and were still getting acquainted with the area and all the things that go along with long-distance moves (so many boxes to unpack!). But I figured, why not? My daughter was so excited to be my model, and she loved seeing her new friends wearing bows that her mom had made (this may be the closest I’ve ever come to being the “cool mom”).
So now that I accidentally started a business, I needed a name. So, I brainstormed and picked the brains of the people closest to me to come up with the perfect name for my business. After a dozen or so duds, I decided to pick a name that had meaning. The first part of my name came from the inspiration behind my business: my daughter and her beautiful brown eyes. The second part of my name came from a little bit of fun family history. When I was about 8 years old, my mom got me one of the coolest Christmas presents I think I’ve ever received: a kit to raise my very own butterflies! So, the following spring, I received a jar of itty-bitty caterpillars in the mail. I got to watch these tiny caterpillars grow into bigger caterpillars and then into chrysalises and then into beautiful butterflies! I was HOOKED. I spent every spring after that ordering caterpillars and anxiously awaiting their delivery. I have even started doing this with my own children, and they love it every bit as much as I did when I was a kid. That first chrysalis always brings so much joy. I highly recommend it for anyone with little kids (or even older kids!).
So, after finally picking a name, I registered my business with the state, and it was official! I grew my little bow business through word of mouth and LOTS of Facebook posts. Eventually, I started brainstorming ideas on ways to expand and grow my business. I tried to come up with new product ideas as my daughter got older and was no longer interested in wearing as many bows (although she still wears a few of them every now and then). With all the ideas being tossed around, there was one thing I SWORE I would never do – tumblers. I was so intimidated by them and knew that the learning curve on epoxy tumblers was steep. There is so much that can go wrong, and I just didn’t want to go there.
Well, never say never. Four years ago, my dear husband was trying to come up with the PERFECT birthday present for me. After a bit of back and fourth, he decided to get me my very first cup turner (you know, for personal cups! Ha ha!). From the first cup, which I decorated with blue glitter and a simple white monogram, I was absolutely addicted. I started buying supplies and practicing, making cups for family and friends until I thought they were finally good enough to start selling through my business. I still have that first cup, and I will forever keep it as a reminder of how far I’ve come.
About a year after I got my first turner, our worlds were completely turned upside down. March of 2020, I found myself sitting at home because my job was considered “non-essential,” and I had to come up with a way to keep myself busy, so I didn’t go crazy. This is when my business really started taking off. I started making more and more tumblers, and people really seemed to like them! For me, it was an escape from the crazy world we were living in, and for others, my little sparkly creations were a bright spot in an otherwise scary and unpredictable time. It made me so happy to know that I could bring a smile to someone’s face with something that I spent so much time and energy, and creativity to bring to life…
Somehow, one turner turned into sixteen turners and a whole wall of glitter. And from there, my business grew (and is still growing!). I was eventually able to grow my business to the point where, with my husband’s support and endless encouragement, I was able to quit my full-time job in order to focus all of my creative energy into designing and making more sparkly (and not so sparkly) tumblers and putting more smiles on more faces. I truly love what I do and it means so much more to me than I thought it ever would. I have met some great friends along my journey and hope to make many more.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Like any small business owner knows, there are a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to be successful. For me, a large obstacle is my own brain. I constantly worry that what I’m doing isn’t good enough. That my cups aren’t sparkly enough or pretty enough or creative enough. But my wonderful supporters prove me wrong time and time again. Every message I receive from happy customers truly brings a smile to my face and keeps me going. Seriously, it makes my whole entire day when I get a message saying grandma cried tears of joy when she received a tumbler with her beautiful grand babies’ faces on it or when a cheer coach squeals with excitement when she opens up her EXTRA sparkly tumbler. Keep them coming… I will never get sick of it!
Another obstacle I struggle with is finding balance between the creative side and the running-the-business side. It is so hard to carve time out of my day to do all the behind-the-scenes things that make my business run. Running reports, updating my website, taxes (guys, this is tough for someone who went to school for music! There is so much language and nuances that I had to learn here!), marketing, and responding to all the messages I get every day. It’s a lot, and I find myself working way later than I intend to some days to keep up with everything.
One last big thing I struggle with is organizing my creative brain! This manifests itself in a couple different ways. One way is typically at about 3 am… when I’m trying to sleep, and I just cannot turn my brain off. It seems as though I have my best tumbler ideas when I’m supposed to be sleeping. The other side of this is organizing those ideas. I have notes and sketches all over the place of tumbler ideas. Some of them never come to fruition, but those ideas I definitely don’t want to forget have to go somewhere so that I can get to creating when I am able to.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Although I dabble in a few different creative outlets, I am most known for my tumblers, particularly my custom tumblers. I think my creativity and attention to detail are not only what I am most proud of but also is what sets me apart from others. Every artist brings their own unique views and life experiences to their work, and my tumblers are no different. Anyone who has worked with me on a custom order knows that I agonize over every detail. The colors, the cut of glitter, the size of the decals… it all goes into creating a beautiful and one-of-a-kind tumbler.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I think that about covers it! It’s been a long and challenging journey, but I wouldn’t change a second of it!
Contact Info:
- Website: Browneyesandbutterflies.com
- Instagram: @browneyesandbutterflies
- Facebook: Facebook.com/browneyesandbutterflies
