Say hi to Ewa of Mamique Designs Ltd.. In photographer circles, she’s famous! We pretty well all gobble up her uber tasteful and lovely knitted prop designs for photographing newborns. We are lucky to have Ewa right here with us in Vancouver, though she sells wide and far to photographers…and really, don’t we deserve her to warm our hearts during yet another chilly Juneuary?
Just a side note: Usually our City Mom column runs on the first of the month, but we delayed it because Mamique Designs has been closed for vacation and didn’t reopen until today.
Our June fundraising drive is for the Children’s Wish Foundation. The Children’s Wish Foundation brings dreams to life for children with life-threatening illnesses. We are pleased to offer them $1 for every comment received on this blog during the month of June, 2010. So come one, come all! Help an ill child realize their dream. Send your friends and family to this blog to leave a comment. It’s such a little thing, but it can make such a big difference to an organization. We are happy to send them a cheque for up to $200 at the end of the month, depending on how many comments you leave, so please be generous and help them out. You must leave your email to leave a comment, but we don’t collect them and they don’t appear on the blog. You can subscribe to the blog, above, or send us an email to be placed on our (very) occasional newsletter list.
I understand Mamique Designs is celebrating an important anniversary! Which one, and how does it feel?
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 2 years already! I’m still a bit overwhelmed by the demand, though I couldn’t be more thrilled.
Tell us about how Mamique became an idea and then a company.
Like many things in life, it all just happened. It may sound silly, but it really feels like Mamique found ME rather than the other way around. I’ve been a knitter for over 25 years. Over the years I was told many times I should sell the items I make, but I never considered it to be a viable business opportunity until I stumbled across the photography prop market. The positive response from my fans only fueled my desire to create unique pieces and seek out hard to find yarns. The business grew through incredible word of mouth. My products were purchased by several BIG names in the newborn photography world and after a few short months it grew to the point where I was able to make it my full-time job. Sometimes I wonder why I got my engineering degree, lol, but I love what I do and that’s the best thing in the world!
Did you have your little girls, or your company, first? Tell us about the former.
My girls were first
They are crazy little monkeys and seem to have an abundant amount of energy, lol. I love them to bits, but I’m glad I have a wonderful lady helping me take care of them, otherwise I would not be able to do the work I do and give them the attention they deserve. I plan on taking on less work this summer so that I can enjoy more activities with them. Did I mention how much I love my job and the flexibility it affords me?
What is the most satisfying thing about running Mamique Designs?
It would have to be client feedback and seeing the stunning images many of my customers create. I really do have the most amazing fans and clients. Very often their words of appreciation and thanks bring tears of joy to my eyes. It may sound cliche, but I truly do it for them. I will continue doing what I do for as long as people want me to. I can always go back to engineering if the demand goes away
What is the most frustrating thing about running Mamique Designs?
The never ending amount of work and my inability to say no. I wish it was just knitting, but like with any business, I spend half my time (if not more) on running the business. I would have to say not having enough hours in the day is the most frustrating aspect of my business.
I know you are really popular with photographers (I use and love your goods in my newborn sessions), but do you also sell to moms?
Yes! Although most of them purchase the items for their upcoming photo sessions. Typically when a parent contacts me and they tell me it is for their baby (and not specifically for a session), I will make the items slightly larger so that they can enjoy them for a bit longer
Are you solely online? Any plans for retail?
I am solely online at this point. I’ve had several retailers contact me about carrying my products, but at this point, I am a one woman show and I wouldn’t be able to add more to my already overflowing plate. I am toying with the idea of expanding and possibly hiring some staff, but at this point, I’m not quite ready for it yet.
Are you always knitting?
No. In fact, I do a lot less knitting than I’d like. Most of my time is spent on other business activities, like marketing, client relations, yarn sourcing, promotion, accounting, etc. I hope to take some time this summer to optimize the way my time is spent so that I can devote more time to knitting, but more importantly, to my family!
Do your kids sometimes resent all your knitting or are they pretty copacetic?
I don’t think they mind my knitting so much, rather the amount of time I spend on the computer. Like I said, they LOVE their childcare provider and they get to see me lots during the day (bonus of working from home!), so they seem to deal with it quite well.
Where do you see your company going in the future?
A lot will depend whether I take the plunge and hire staff. There are many opportunities that are there for the taking, but I wouldn’t want to try them without a good plan in place and coming up with that plan will take some time (something I have very little of at this point, lol)
Do you have any advice for other new business women?
Take time for yourself (btw, it is easier said than done). Finding a good balance when you’re growing a business is very tough. Many entrepreneurs I’ve spoken with share the same feelings. It is really easy to get burned out in the first couple of years.
Value yourself. One big mistake people new to a business (any business) make is undervaluing their worth. They give away too much for too little and end up feeling taken advantage off. I was lucky to have had mentors give me that advice very early on so that it wasn’t a problem for me, but I see many newcomers making that mistake and then disappearing after a few short months.
Remember your time away from your family is worth a lot. You should charge a premium for it, rather than work for less than minimum wage
Offer your clients amazing customer service and they will do most of the marketing for you! The best thing I ever did with regards to my business is treat my clients well. Answer their questions promptly. Show them that they’re valued. In addition to having an outstanding product, you really need to give your clients the attention they deserve. As long as you’re genuine in what you do, they will sing your praises to all of their friends.
And most of all, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If your gut is telling you to go for it (whatever “it” may be) and it doesn’t work out like you expected, learn from it and try something new. As long as you’re impassioned about what you do, you’ll find a way to make it work.
Here is an image of a little peanut I photographed wearing one of Ewa’s peanuts:
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