20 Sep My Story: What It Means To Be An American Made Entrepreneur (Part I)
I”m sure by now you’re wondering what all the hoopla is around the Martha Stewart American Made national contest.
I thought I’d take a few moments, after the flurry of voting started this week (and all the technical glitches), to give you a little background so you can understand why the American Made contest is so important to me. And yes, it is true, I REALLY do need your 6 votes EVERY day, right HERE, until October 13th in order to win the American Made “Audience Choice Award”, but I thought you’d like to know a little more about the “why.”
You see, I’m a small business entrepreneur and have been handcrafting one-of-a-kind pillows for 10 years in Austin, Texas. I hand select all my new and vintage materials, collecting most of my vintage fabrics and jewelry from other small business owners across the United States. Each and every Deborah Main pillow is meticulously created by me, and skilled artisans, in the USA; even our pillow form inserts are made in the USA. Having my designs “Made in America” has been my commitment since the day I founded my business in 2004.
This year, 2014 Deborah Main Designs’ celebrates it’s 10th Anniversary! It was exactly 10 years ago that I answered an “Open Call for Designers” at The Garden Room, a local boutique here in Austin, and then started my business. But being an artist and owning your own small business is no piece of cake. As any small business owner knows, you are ripe for failure the minute you file your DBA (Doing Business As).
Here are the statistics:
Source: The Big Picture.
Predictions are you fail in your first 3 years. If you don’t fail then, well you fail at year 5. If you don’t fail then, well you fail when you try to expand or jump up to the next level. But that’s here nor there. The point is, I’ve hung in here, with your incredible support, for the last 10 years (which I’ve heard rumor of is THE year that businesses truly become successful).
But through all the ups and downs and financial challenges, and three Austin Fashion Week awards for Best Home Accessories Designer, I cherish the wonderful clients and friends I’ve made all along this incredibly difficult, but extremely rewarding, journey. And, I’ve never given up for one simple, plain reason:
I love creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind luxury pillows, handcrafted here in my Austin, Texas studio just for you! I take great pride that they’re American Made and there is no greater artistic joy then for my design to come together and for my customers to want and love my pillows!
I am an entrepreneur at heart and own Deborah Main Designs for me, my family….and especially for YOU! So we’re in this thing together for the long haul. In fact, here’s what I said on my American Made application.
What advice would you give an aspiring creative entrepreneur?
“Follow your heart. Do what you love. Stick to your vision of your business. Believe in yourself and your work and never give up.” Deborah Main, 2014.
Since I ran out of time, and didn’t quite get to say all I wanted to when submitting my American Made nomination, I wanted you to know three more important advice tips I’d give to aspiring entrepreneurs. For a small business to be successful long term, you must have:
- Focus,
- A solid financial plan, and
- Know who your customer is
I’ve heard these for years, but the hardest part for ANY creative, is the business side. And if you are an artist or designer or both, you know what I mean!! Just last week, I sat down with a business consultant for probably the most difficult conversation I’ve ever had in my whole 10 years of business.
I’m being forced (voluntarily) to choose a successful business model for Deborah Main Designs going forward. Not an easy task, when your pillows are your art form and every pillow creation is made with love and so close to your heart. But I’m passionate and proud of what I do…and it’s time!
In fact, I specifically chose this year, my 10th business anniversary, to tackle these tough decisions that I know will make me and my family, happier and healthier, and will continue to build a thriving, luxury design studio to meet my customer’s needs. I’m sharing all this with you, because you have invested so much time and energy, and money, into supporting my work and I want you to know how much this all means to me!
Place your 6 daily votes right HERE!
And how timely for The Martha Stewart American Made competition to come into the picture. Wouldn’t it be incredibly amazing to win the American Made “Audience Choice Award” in celebration of our 10th anniversary? My dear friend Laura Del Villaggio, of Milli Starr, suggested last year I ought to think about applying. And this year, I jumped in with both feet. I had NO idea that I would ever become a finalist!! Nor did I know that I had such a HUGE following, and that I’d become a finalist solely due to the generosity of all my friends, family, clients, and followers like you and the power of social media.
“It was YOU who helped me win this spot as a “Wild Card” Finalist. I am not in this contest just for myself…. I am in this contest because YOU propelled me here…because you support what I’m doing with my art, and my being an entrepreneur and a small business owner.”
I am forever grateful… truly, truly I am, thank you! Your support continually humbles and astounds me. I hope this gives you a little background on the road we’ve traveled together and why being an entrepreneur and winning the American Made “Audience Choice Award” is so important to me. Together, we’ve worked hard to get here! I’ve had almost a dozen interns, and many valuable mentors, fellow entrepreneurs, and customers help me build my business. I have learned so much from you, my supporters.
So please know, that together we can win the “Audience Choice Award” by vote, by spreading the word and building a huge voting base (please share this with 10 people right now!) to compete against all the other fabulous American Made makers. (This has definitely brought out my ex-runner competitive side for sure!)
In many ways, I want to win this American Made Award for YOU…because without you – without my family, friends, clients and all my supporters – there would be no Deborah Main Designs.
If you have questions about the voting process, please read this letter below describing the entire Martha Stewart American Made competition and why your vote is so very, very important! Thank you with all my heart for your generous support!! And please vote HERE 6 times a day until October 31st. (if you have any difficulty with voting, please call 512.447.9807 or email me at inquire@deborahmaindesigns.com)
With your help we will win this competition for “Audience Choice Award” for all American Made makers and entrepreneurs all across the USA!!
Till then, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE (yes, 6 x/day!) and ask your friends, family and colleagues to help us with this too! Thank you! And watch for me next week on FOX news…details coming soon, thanks to Brandon Smith of D’ Coop Media! XOPG
Martha Stewart American Made Letter Below
“Hi Deborah,
Our panels of judges have now read through thousands of nominations to select a handful of American Made finalists — but the competition is far from over.
Only 10 finalists will receive a 2014 Martha Stewart American Made Award, and you will choose one of those winners.
Make your voice heard and vote now for the 2014 American Made Audience Choice Award Winner:
Photography by, with permission from, Martha Stewart American Awards committee.
http://connect.marthastewart.com/make-your-voice-heard
Here’s how it works:
- Meet our 2014 American Made finalists. Sort by category to discover new finalists, or arrange them alphabetically to find a finalist you already know and love.
- Select a finalist profile and click on the blue “Vote” button.
- You have 6 votes each day, so select “Vote Again” on your confirmation page to explore more finalists and support their work. Or put all your efforts towards supporting one nominee.
Not only will you be supporting the work of American makers, you’ll also automatically be entered to win a new prize each week worth over $300.
Passion is contagious, and we’re counting on you to keep the momentum going! Will you cast your vote today?
http://connect.marthastewart.com/cast-your-vote-today
Voting will end on October 13th, 2014, so make every day and every vote count!
Warm wishes,
The 2014 American Made Judges
P.S. Plan to meet you favorite makers in person. Get your ticket to the 2014 American Made Summit today.”
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