The focus of the Starting Small series is to introduce you to some amazing individuals who have built their own businesses from scratch. They are full of passion, life, and love. Once a month, we feature a new business owner, and pick their brain regarding how they started their business, advice for those who have/wish to have a business themselves, how they make time for themselves, and most importantly, which they love most about being a small business owner. I hope these individuals will inspire you, motivate you, and fill your heart with as much love as they’ve filled mine.
Chatting with Dianna Barton, Owner of:
So crazy enough, my inspiration came after my fourth child. I was gifted a standard Moses basket for her and fell in love with the simplicity and ease of it. I had the thought that every Mama needs one and how rad would it be if instead of fancy bedding and plain baskets that were beautiful bright colored baskets with simple bedding. That is where my hunt began for these beautiful and unique Moses baskets.
I’m going to be real with you…..The constant juggling act of balancing family, business and personal life can be quite crazy and chaotic at times…..okay actually all the time! Over the last two years I have really learned the importance of a schedule and the importance of scheduling time for every area of my life. People laugh at me, but I was told one time about a very successful man who scheduled his days in 15 minute increments. So for example, if he had a meeting, he’d schedule the appropriate amount of time using that time table….15, 30, 45, you get the point. I don’t do that in my personal life like he did but I try to apply it when I work. For an ADD mind like mine it actually proves to be very beneficial!
3. What are three pieces of advice you would give to a mama who is interested in starting her own business?
One – be sure it’s something you’re passionate about. It’s going to take a lot of hustle, mental and emotional energy.
Two – be prepared to have a lack of balance in your lie. If you’re truly passionate about it you’ll have a period (or periods) of time where you’ll be so deep into it that other areas will get a little less attention. Which areas you might ask?? That’s different for everyone…..let’s just say I don’t think I’ve had my hair done or wore real clothes for about a year!
Three – Be prepared for the ugly. Running your own small shop/business isn’t glamorous.
4. Where do you look to for inspiration for new designs?
I try to keep a cohesive vibe through out our design and image. The baskets themselves have such organic and vibrant beauty that they really are the inspiration for everything else we do
5. What was the process like for deciding on the name for your business?
The longest process EVER! I mean it’s your company name so you want it to mean something, be catchy, be easy to remember, etc, etc. I think it took me longer to name the company than to source the baskets! My company name was inspired by my grandmother and my daughter. My grandmother was a woman of grace, strength, kindness, happiness and community. She was a lover of nature, especially birds. She loved their grace as they flew, their hustle as they nested and the way they worked and moved together as a community or “village”. So that is where Sparrow came from. And then seeing as this company all came to be because of the birth of my daughter, I wanted her to be a part of it as well. That’s the part that took the longest! Then one day, after lots (and I mean lots) of horrible name combos, I was changing her diaper and she kept crawling away from me and I laughed about how cute her little plum bum was…..At the time my baby girl had quite a little booty, I used to joke that she had a family connection with the Kardashians. So that was it. I just fell in love with the combo of my daughters Plum bum and my grandmothers love for Sparrows.
6. What has been the most difficult part of creating and managing a small business? What has been the most enjoyable part?
The most enjoyable part has been the creative and growth side of it. I love thinking outside of the box so it has been such a fun process for me.
7. Favorite quote:
This is a tough one!! I LOVE quotes. I find them so valuable for wherever we are in our life’s journey. If I have to choose just one that’s really my daily mantra since starting this Plum+Sparrow journey, I’d have to say: “You can do anything, but not everything.”
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