Today on Moms on Mondays I am so happy to feature such a sweet mama, Lindsey from Little Dude N' Dudette! I have been a long time admirer of hers and am so happy we finally connected and she got to contribute to this series, I just love her and her shop! Check out her post below and then go shop!
She sent Lemon over this Hug Life shirt and it is just the cutest!
(Both images from instagram.com/littledudendudette.)
How/why
did you start making these products and open this shop?
After having my
son April 2014 I realized, kids grow FAST! It seemed like every time I
turned around he was growing out of another outfit. I would return to
the stores only to find the same garment
with the same sayings, the same dinosaurs, airplanes, boats, cars on
EVERYTHING! Super unoriginal and just not my vibe. I have a wonderful
friend who owns Good Fellas Merch in Arizona, and I reached out to her
asking how hard it would be to see some of my ideas on a few shirts.
Dude, Dudette, Hug Life, and MissFit were our original designs, and that's how we
were born. We've been in business since October 2014.
What
is your background (college/career/etc.)?
I am in banking! Weird right?
I have been with the same company for 11 years! It's definitely
something I love doing because I get to help people with one of their
most valuable assets, their money. I have families that I started with
out of college and I have seen them through weddings, first homes, new
babies, new businesses, its super rewarding in that aspect. {So cool!}
Tell
us a little bit about your family.
I have an incredible husband Casey,
we have been together for 5 years, he is absolutely my soulmate. He is
smart, caring, compassionate, funny, he’s a great cook (which is a
great thing cause I am not!) and he’s a wonderful dad. I have a step-son
named Blake, he’s 13 and wears a size 12 shoe, he’s giant!
So talented and very smart, a really good kid, I am proud to call him
my son. Then there's Porter, my little dude! 13 months old, 26 pounds, and
the coolest kid I know. He has truly made me a better human in every
way possible. That's us - we do everything together, hike, bike, explore,
learn, it's pretty rad.
How
does this company help your family?
For me it allows me to be
creative, being in banking I don’t really get to use that side of my
brain. Random fact, I was a ballerina for 11 years and wanted to own a
ballet studio, then I wound up in banking! So, it feels good to be
able to do something creating and expressive. For my family, well it's
getting me closer everyday to being able to stay home with my little
dude, and that would be awesome.
Did
you ever think you'd be doing this? What did you think you'd be doing
instead?
Never! I mean I have always loved fashion and clothes, who doesn’t? But I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do something like this.
Does anyone help you with your shop?
My husband does the books and shipping. He’s very disciplined with that stuff. It makes my life so much easier, he’s amazing.
How
do you find time to run your shop and create products?
It's HARD, I mean
HARD! Working full time, having a new baby, being a new wife. But, when
the baby goes down, I pour a glass of my favorite red wine, put on some
classic rock and get to work. {Love it!}
What
do you love about this businesses?
Seeing all these babes in my
designs, I mean these parent's chose something I created, spent their
hard earned money on it. That is such an honor, my heart swells two
sizes each time I see that we are tagged in a photo.
What is the most challenging part of this business?
“Will people like it” that races through my head daily, its nerve racking.
Where
do you see your shop in the future?
I hope to just see forward
progression, I hope to see more kids and families wearing our stuff loud
and proud. I want to be a brand people put on and feel proud to be
wearing.
Tell
us your favorite product or your most favorite thing you've created?
The signature collection Dude and Dudette, we have the design in the
letters change each season so it really becomes a collectable because
the are limited release.
Do
you have any advice for future mom-entrepreneurs?
Keep going! There are
days where you will feel on top of the world, and days you feel
invisible, often in the same week! Just know if you are proud of your
work, and you are truly committed to making it something more than it was
yesterday then you just keep pushing forward and being true to YOU and
the brand you are creating. Get a vision and stick to it.
What
are some of YOUR favorite shops/products, besides your own?
Oh my gosh
you can’t ask me that, there are way too many. Let me think of my
son's wardrobe . . . Beanies from NoxxAZ, they
are the perfect slouch and she’s super sweet. Tops besides our own of
course - Tribe Is Alive, I dig the vibe of that shop and
all their garments,
and Bri is a good friend of mine. Root Ave - Brittany and I started our
shops at the same time and have gone through a lot of the same ups and
downs, I respect her hustle and she has rad
designs. He has a lot of Love Sick Threads, Salty Kids and Babes, and
Babowears pants too. Little. for shoes is awesome, Kelly is such a sweetheart, she sent us his
first pair of footies and the quality was amazing. Moccs By Robin is
also a favorite, between the two of them we have a drawer full of shoes. I told you this was hard!
Thanks Lindsey, you are awesome, wishing you the best of luck with your shop!
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