The law of business is creating a supply for a demand. Michelle Cox's business, Made By Michelle, came directly from a demand that started in her own home by her three children.
"I make a lot of things for children and babies because I have three kids," Cox said. "That's kind of my focus."
Keith Lansdale/ The Daily Sentinel |
Michelle Cox shows a baby bell tomato and blueberry, two of the items from her online store, Made By Michelle.
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Cox has created a variety of items such as toys, stuffed animals and activity bags at her sewing machine for her own family over the years, and friends and family who saw them were interested. As a result, the demand spread.
"People have asked me to make some for them here and there and paid me for them," she said. "I started thinking, why not try to market these."
With the idea in mind, Cox began designing the online business Made By Michelle, building a Web site out of blogs and online applications.
"I think the page still looks rudimentary," she said. "I'm no Web master, but I think it looks perfect for a one-woman show, since I do all the shopping for supplies, all the sewing, the washing of the fabric, the advertising, the photographing and the photoshopping."
The blog was perfect for Cox's plans, as blog space was free and it gave her products a national outlet.
Made By Michelle's online catalog started rather small in 2008, starting with selling only "snack packs," a sack fastened with a drawstring with several different designs.
"Right around that time, someone told my husband they needed to find someone who could sew diaper bags," she said.
So she learned the design and added diaper bags to her online store.
"I just started adding all these things to my blog," she said. "And people would ask if I could make other things."
And the catalog grew as friends, families and now customers suggested different potential products that Cox began adding to her online store.
"It kind of went boom," she said. "I'm not raking in the dough, but I'd consider myself a micro-business."
Made By Michelle has been in business for a little over a year, but it was in 2004 when she lived in San Antonio where Cox first tried to make it in the business world.
"A friend of mine asked me to make some bibs, and I tied a little ribbon on it with a card that said, Made By Michelle," Cox said. "I wasn't a business at that point but I did try going to a craft fair. I didn't make much — I was kind of disappointed."
Her desire to sell was rekindled years later when she moved to Nacogdoches and rented a booth at the Farmer's Market.
"This business could not have had such a great start in San Antonio," she said. "It's just too big and it doesn't have the same community feeling."
Made By Michelle only has an online location, but Cox also still rents a booth at the Farmer's Market from time to time.
"Every time I notice a store for sale I think about how much fun it would be to have things on display," she said. "But it's a slow process, and I can't quickly churn out a ton of products."
Cox said her business works best online where she's able to take orders and fill them while she manages her household and her family's needs. But she said she looks forward to taking on more hours after her three kids all start school.
"They are my first and more important job," she said. "Raising my children is my priority but it's good to have my own business that is self sustaining."
Cox began sewing in 2002, borrowing sewing machines from friends and family.
"I was just about to get married and I started making clothes," she said. "I made my husband some shorts for his wedding gift. They turned out to fit him really well, but I had chosen a really ugly fabric, so I told him not to wear them in public."
In 2003 Cox was given a Pfaff sewing machine from her grandmother.
"My grandmother passed away, and before she died she told my mom she wanted my sister or me to get this machine," she said. "My mom told her that I had started sewing recently and that I would get good use out of it. I've put thousands of hours on this machine, and I feel like that was what started it all."
Cox said she tries to keep her blog fun with new content such as posting recipes as well as drawings for different items.
"Right now I have a drawing for people to win a Halloween tote bag," she said.
The drawing will accept names until Sept. 18 when names will be drawn for the bag and other prizes.
Made By Michelle is located at www.madebymichellestore.com and she can be reached by e-mail at madebymichellestore@gmail.com.
Cox will also be selling some of her items at the Farmer's Market Sept. 26.
