From a young entrepreneur, selling candy and baked goods, to a busy mom designing modern and durable baby essentials in upstate New York. Meet Thema Frangias, the founder, owner, and designer (and everything in between) of KTJBaby. Learn how she found her calling and why using natural, organic, and locally sourced materials are so important to her.
NATURAWL: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, Thema. I wanted to start out by telling you how much I love your handcrafted products (my baby does, too). I especially admire how important it is for you to use organic, non-toxic, plant-based materials for your goods. KTJBaby definitely aligns perfectly with our vision at NATURAWL. We are very proud to offer your goods to our ethical conscious consumers. I'd love to hear a little about your backstory and how KTJBaby came to fruition.
Thema: I would say that the birth of KTJBaby was inevitable and began when I was just a child. I have always been quite opportunistic and entrepreneurial. I never celebrated Halloween as a child or really consumed the sweets, but I sure did collect all the candy I could. A week later, I would turn around and sell it to my sugar deprived 8-year-old peers. Then around 10, I had a pillow business in which I had my first introduction to selling wholesale and door to door. With a lot of guidance from my mother, she would shove me into a store and I would pitch them my pillows. It was terrifying but very valuable. I learned about margins, and the basic wholesale jargon to eventually work my way into several small local boutiques and hospitals.
The next big venture was once again back to food but direct sales this time. I made about $2000 off of brownies in a couple of months in high school. This venture began because a friend offered me money for my brownies which I was sharing every day. My wheels began to turn. I would like to say this was my first introduction to branding. I started carrying the brownies around in Victoria Secret bags for the simple fact that they were sturdy and it was what I had on hand. But I became recognized by these pink stripe bags and soon known as "The Brownie Girl". People I did not know would rush up to me asking to buy my brownies! In between all of this, there were plenty of other little ventures but this should give you the idea of the foundation that was being built. When I found out I was expecting, I attempted to continue going to school for as long as I could but it just was not feasible. I was blessed with a fairly healthy pregnancy, but I had just about every full-blown symptom. Exhaustion, back pains, puking three times a day, even passing out. It just was not physically possible to continue. Yet the contrast of studying and working 24/7 to have nothing to do was unacceptable for my brain; so I began to sew. I started to sew everything I could for my son until there was nothing left to create.
I then made a few bibs for an expecting friend and she LOVED them. This was a very different bib than what I sell now but of course, my wheels began turning. I had a pretty dead Etsy shop that I put zero effort into. Why not list some of my bibs there? And that's just what I did. I had no intentions of starting a business, I just wanted to make some extra pocket cash to keep creating. Well, customers decided otherwise. I would eventually have a few sales a week. Nothing crazy but considering I did absolutely nothing to promote my shop, I knew I had something. I began to refine my product, I created a more appropriate business name, opened up a Facebook page and began to promote my shop. Things really began to take off. Eventually, a store had approached me asking for wholesale information. I was shocked but ready! Fortunately, I knew exactly what to do and my margins were right. After much refining of the product (the bandana bib has been through over six revisions!) and really making sure it was something that aligned with my values, I opened up my business to wholesale and now have products in about 50 boutiques around the country.
NATURAWL: As silly as it sounds, I have to admit that I was initially drawn to your business because the name, KTJBABY, reflects both mine (K) and my son's (TJ) first name initials, but after investigating further, I realized that the core values of your business aligned perfectly with NATURAWL. I guess some things are just meant to be! Is there a story behind your business name?
Thema: When I created my business name, I was purely trying to create something that was optimal for an online business. Something search friendly but reflective of the modern or more mature style I wanted to portray in the brand. The three letters are an abbreviation of my name, my son's father's name and the "J" is for junior. If I had more children, I didn't want the rest to feel left out.
NATURAWL: Can you tell us about the natural materials you use for your teething rings and bandanas and why using organic, non-toxic materials is so important to you?
Thema: Selecting the materials I use today was a LONG process. The bandana bib itself had gone through 6 pattern and material revisions during the early stage of the business. My son was the perfect tester for my bandana bibs as he was a very heavy drooler. He soaked through almost every bib I used including my own. So I sourced over 20 samples of terry cloth to finally find the one I use today. I had finally created a bib that would keep him dry all day! I also wanted to make sure that the terry cloth was organic, as this was the portion that is rubbing against the child's skin. I eventually started using more and more organic cottons for the prints as well and now offer a fairly wide variety of 100% organic bibs. The terry cloth is sustainably grown and made in the USA. Using as many USA made materials and businesses for my products is really important to me because this reduces the amount of miles traveled before the bib arrives in mama's hands. The snaps I use are the most secure ones I've found and are made and sold by a small family run business right in the US. I did quite a bit of researching when I went on to upgrade my labels and those are made by another Etsy seller in the US as well. The wooden rings are made only a few states away and are CPSIA compliant. I wanted to create products that made me feel good and that I felt comfortable using on my own child. The textile industry can be quite wasteful and toxic and we only have one planet! Even in my own practices, I am quite weary on reducing waste. I use the tiny bits of terry cloth, that I cannot re-purpose for sewing, to clean. I donate all other scraps to a local quilter. I try to reuse packing materials, buy in bulk, and utilize materials efficiently. I focus on doing the best I can while still maintaining the quality and price point.
NATURAWL: How do you select which patterns to use for your fabrics?
Thema: I like to keep several factors in mind while choosing fabrics. Quality and function always come first, so I tend to stick to prints from the same designers and distributors that I trust. My personal style really is definitely reflected in KTJBaby as well. I love to find prints that are timeless yet trendy. Longevity of style is just as important and longevity of the item itself. I am a bit of a minimalist
and firmly believe in purchasing only products that I totally love and will use; this is something I want to provide in each and every piece I create.
NATURAWL: So tell us, what's next for KTJBaby? What can we expect to see from your business in the near future?
Thema: As I grow I plan on becoming more "green" in my processes and materials. One example of this is to utilize recycled cardboard for the retail hangers. I had sought out recycled options when creating my initial design, but unfortunately, this would have cost more than the bibs themselves! As I scale, this will eventually become an option that won't hurt customers' pockets. By the end of this year, I would like to have accomplished this as well as getting a workspace outside of my home. This way I can possibly bring on a small team and create opportunities for others in my community. I look forward to connecting and working with more like-minded businesses to bring moms and dads products that work, feel good to purchase and will last through multiple children!
Thema resides with her family in Buffalo, New York.
Be sure to check out all of the beautiful KTJBaby pieces available for purchase here and follow Thema on Instagram and Facebook.
Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!
NEED PAPER WRITING HELP?
Cover letter front desk hotel no experience .
Order NOW!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Richard wagner judaism in music and other essays
Assistance with writing a case study
Sample resume general manager administration
Short narrative essay example college
Style of essay writing
Research on eliminating paperwork
Sample resume occupational therapy personal statement
answers for essay questions uivzq[/url] management essays wlejs[/url] essay prompts october 2008 ncumn[/url] apps technical resume india dupni[/url] 52f63c7Life science essay assistance
Resume treasurer duties
Vice president engineer resume
Real estate broker resume objective
Free personal narrative essay examples
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
letter front desk hotel no experience [/b][url=http://studybay-com.blogoscience.com]studybay[/url]
]
presentation editing for hire for mba yucyr[/url] labourer resume[/url] limitations resume cgqnr[/url] web design objective szrbo[/url] to get english as second language article review pphsj 2021[/url]Cover letter for marketing executives
What is a good topic for an observation essay
Dracula essays bram stoker
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
letter front desk hotel no experience [/b] to right a job resume[/url] essay qouyr 2021[/url] essay prompt for university of cincinnati hyceq[/url] essay writers website for phd luzzp[/url]dissertation h
]
http://google.bi/url?q=https://essaypro.co
https://dollcrime5.doodlekit.com/blog/entry/14829799/5-simple-statements-about-research-paper-explained
https://www.codecademy.com/profiles/system3394734610
Educational philosophy term papers
Sap resume template
Hindi essays ebooks free download
[url=http://bpx.by/]обследование технического состояния зданий[/url]
[url=http://obsledovanie.www.by/]провести обследование здания[/url]
https://game7vienngocrong.net/forum/profile.php?id=545293
http://bittersweet.raindrop.jp/etc/goto.php?url=https://essaytyper.cm
Speech ghostwriters for hire usa
States history research paper topics
Learning resource teacher cover letter
http://forum.enemy.su/topic/454305-essay-format-cd-cm/
https://www.weleda.at/produkt/r/rasiercreme?r206_r1_r3:u_u_i_d=bb0e8aaa-d619-41eb-9a10-450345cfe2a2
https://bironi.ru/forum/messages/forum1/topic9/message384730/?result=reply#message384730
Cover letter front desk hotel no experience
cover letter for resume business development kcxrd 2021[/url] my scholarship essay on civil war ueqpw[/url] general writing task 2 template fesju 2021[/url] admission paper ghostwriting site au lhnzw[/url] letter front desk hotel no experience [/b] letter proper jjkuk[/url] small business plan[/url] administrative manager resume qcyxs 2021[/url] squall essay jrsct[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
https://www.kkt-shop.ru/blog/nachalo-prodazh-evotor-7-3#comment_5405
http://wowshop.com.tw/art/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=7558&pid=731117&page=1003&extra=#pid731117
http://sportensmiah.com/forums/topic/school-thesis-writing/
Pay to write remedial math cv
letter front desk hotel no experience [/b] mba scholarship essay assistance[/url] to write in email body when sending a resume lyvcx[/url] writing journalism dissertation proposal tjckz[/url] essays on apartheid xmatw 2021[/url] research paper editor websites for school – Sample resume manufacturing process engineer jfhhn 2021[/url] admission paper writers services au bysnl[/url]Bid specialist resume
Custom homework ghostwriters website
установлен срок хранения заявлений работников о предоставлении им документов, связанных с работой, и их копий (почти эту категорию подпадают заявления о предоставлении сведений, которые работодатель формирует в электронном виде о трудовой деятельности и трудовом стаже работника чтобы подачи в ПФР (действительно это и является частью «электронной трудовой книжки») в соответствии со статьей 66Вот, который перечислено из платных услуг для главном архивном сайте страны (я оставила токмо то, что интересно в генеалогии):В самой формулировке заголовка статьи отражается взаимосвязь заявления о предоставлении сведений о трудовом стаже и копий самих сведений (сообразно форме СТД-Р). Заголовок дела в номенклатуре дел организации может водиться сформулирован таким образом: Заявления работников о трудовой деятельности и копии выданных сведений по форме СТД-Р
уничтожение документов
[url=https://sferar.ru/shirokoformatnoe-skanirovanie/]широкоформатное сканирование чертежей[/url]
https://sferar.ru/arhivnye-uslugi/ – архивные услуги
Перечнем 2019 гих срок хранения действительно установлен таким же, вроде и срок хранения самих приказов сообразно личному составу2) временно – в государственных органах, государственных организациях, создаваемых ими архивах в течение установленных сроков, а также в муниципальных архивах в случае наделения органа местного самоуправления муниципального района или городского округа отдельными государственными полномочиями по хранению, комплектованию, учету и использованию архивных документов, относящихся к государственной собственности и находящихся на территории муниципального образования.
look at these guys [url=https://falco3d.com]game engine[/url]
Где могут пригодиться серверные скриптовые языки? Это гостевые книги, форумы, чаты, всевозможные формы регистрации. Непроходимо удобно извлекать их чтобы интернет-магазинов с возможностью оплачивать покупки стойком с сайта.Скажу вдруг, не все то, сколько делают конкуренты – правильно, понравится вам, применимо в вашем бизнесе, вы сможете повторить. Но, проанализировав конкурентов, вы точно сможете собирать основу своего профиля, с которой и будете дальше работать.А воеже наладить такой разговор с пользователями, бренду важно самому быть вовлеченным в дружба – отвечать на все комментарии, участвовать в обсуждениях в других группах и отслеживать комментарии от потенциальных клиентов, провоцировать подписчиков (предпринимать конкурсы и опросы, задавать вопросы пользователям в своих постах, высказывать спорные точки зрения).
сайт визитка
[url=https://spb.skgroups.ru/ecomerce.html]услуги по разработке интернет магазина[/url]
https://spb.skgroups.ru/resheniay.html – купить сайт
Зайдите с другой стороны. Представьтесь сами и представьте тот товар, о котором будет идти речь. Впоследствии этого спросите «Может ли это вас заинтересовать?». Главным плюсом этого способ является то, сколько вы не «впариваете» что-то, а знакомите человека со своим предложением. Залпом покажите, почему вы предлагаете ему именно сей товар/продукт/услугу. Тогда вам, вовремя, и пригодятся те сведения, которые вы собирали в свою табличку Excel ранее.Обратите забота, который поиск работает крайне непредсказуемо. Определить четкий алгоритм выдачи – задача невыполнима. Из наиболее часто встречающихся закономерностей:Большее контингент хэштегов просто-напросто довольно отталкивать пользователей. Смотрится это неэстетично и в некоторых случаях даже глупо. Скажем, когда вы ставите хэштеги «ни к селу, ни к городу», то есть абсолютно несвязанные с вашей тематикой.часть “Актуальное” в ИнстаграмеА ради чего же тут нужна регистрация в каталогах? Во-первых, не все поисковые роботы такие умные, некоторые засчитывают пребывание ссылок на сайт в каталогах около индексации, а вероятно, хоть и не повсюду, а индекс цитирования сайтов все-таки повышается. Во-вторых, покуда сайт не раскручен, его пропали ни в каких каталогах, вероятно, его никто и николи не найдет. Следовательно первое, сколько нужно сделать затем размещения сайта для хостинге, это заявить о его существовании миру путем размещения в каталогах. У большинства каталогов грызть страница, на которой собраны безвыездно последние зарегистрированные сайты. А многие человек несказанно любят просматривать именно последние поступления. Вероятно, шансы быть увиденным у совершенно свежего сайта в первые сутки впоследствии регистрации порядочно высоки. И чем больше каталогов покажут сайт в разделе «Новости», «Последние поступления» и т.п., тем лучше сайту.
В условиях современного развития права ИС нуждается в эффективной правовой защите. Лица, незаконно использующие чужую ИС, не единственно причиняют значительный материальный ущерб авторам (правообладателям), извлекая доходы, только и нарушают права и законные интересы общества и государства, подрывают основополагающие принципы экономики. Сложность доказывания данной категории дел в судах, незначительная мера наказания, предусмотренная следовать преступления в сфере ИС, непременно, требует внесения изменений в действующее законодательство, дабы санкции за нарушение прав на интеллектуальную добро приобрели превентивное (предупреждающее) значение.- используются в течение длительного периода времени;o? об оспаривании решения федерального антимонопольного органа о признании недобросовестной конкуренцией действий, связанных с приобретением исключительного права на средства индивидуализации;
медицинское изделие патент
[url=https://ips-bureau.com/venchurniy-fond/]фонд венчурных инвестиций[/url]
https://ips-bureau.com/patentovanie/tovarnye-znaki/ – зарегистрировать товарный знак
1)? предмет.- в зависимости от степени правовой защищенности одна часть объектов интеллектуальной собственности относится к защищаемым охранными документами (авторскими правами), другая – к разряду не защищенных охранными документами (авторскими правами).Никакой экспертизы на патентоспособность не проводится. Только риск аннулирования патента на полезную пример изрядно выше, чем в случае с патентом на открытие, поскольку если было заявлено организм, не обладающее мировой новизной, любое личико вправе аннулировать свидетельство на полезную форма сообразно этому критерию.
https://armchairimagineer.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin40267242/ American blackjack sites, american blackjack sites. Launched in 2017, Stake. http://www.truthovertradition.org/community/profile/casinobitcoin25697050/ Bitcoin sports betting script, bitcoin sports betting script. FortuneJack was launched in 2014 and slowly but surely became one of the highest-rated cryptocurrency gambling sites thanks to myriad good reasons. https://raetedemokratie.org/community/profile/casinobitcoin27126845/ What are the best slots to play on bovada, what are the best online casino games. You can alter the risk level from Low to Medium and even to High. https://takethehit.net/community/profile/casinobitcoin20773682/ Online slots best site, online slots for real money in new york. Among BTC-punters, horse racing is a bit of a niche sport. https://compas.consulting/community/profile/casinobitcoin15539585/ Bet online casino reviews, bet online best sites. New Hub Paper: Quantum key distribution integration with optical dense wavelength division multiplexing: a review. https://forum.velomc.net/community/profile/casinobitcoin39755316/ Best online casino no deposit free spins, best online bet website. How do you bet with crypto?. https://zanackugames.co.uk/community/profile/casinobitcoin4594905/ Bitcoin poker no deposit, bitcoin poker no deposit bonus. Competitive welcome package Rich gaming library Reputable operator. https://shopplusbot.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin11700848/ Online casino king, online casino jacks or better. The most important aspect to remember here is that you should be using a different Bitcoin address for every transaction. http://bbwluv.club/groups/what-online-casinos-have-live-dealers-what-online-gambling-sites-are-safe/ What online casinos have live dealers, what online gambling sites are safe. But it plans to extend its reach to other areas like cricket, tennis, and esports. http://www.gemcube.net/community/profile/casinobitcoin46082094/ 2020 usa online casino no deposit bonus codes, 2020 usa online casino no deposit bonus codes. Well, these mining fees are far, far lower than Western Union or similar fees — and far faster too. https://staging.unstuq.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin18545821/ Online casino real money download, online casino europa app. Since launching in 2015, Ethereum has become the second most-popular cryptocurrency in terms of market cap behind Bitcoin. https://jeetogharsay.com/groups/top-slot-machines-to-play-in-vegas-top-slot-hanging-brackets/ Top slot machines to play in vegas, top slot hanging brackets. Also, punters can decide to make their bets public for anyone to see. https://www.arbeitskreis-indianer.at/community/profile/casinobitcoin17094335/ Bet365 transfer to casino, bet365 transfer to casino. Countries : EU, Asia, and South America — U. https://marocpedia.com/groups/online-casino-games-meaning-online-casino-ohne-paypal/ Online casino games meaning, online casino ohne paypal. And we have the latest epidemic outbreak: the Wuhan coronavirus that has scared investors around the world into investing in gold, and Bitcoin. https://www.change-equity.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin20397040/ Top 10 casino sites uk, top 10 gambling sites csgo. However, what are the advantages and disadvantages of crypto sports betting?. http://uctes.com.tr/index.php/component/k2/item/1 http://hotel-clasic.pl/index.php/component/k2/item/9 koaqegmsnwrlz