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 ?
Best expository essay editor for hire .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Xepersian thesis cls download
How to write year in chinese
Pay for my best cover letter online
Esl phd essay proofreading website for college
Essay on population growth and economic development
Type my world literature dissertation conclusion
State jobs resume builder
letter for electrical draftsman xactm 2021[/url] thesis 2005 jgvnr[/url] secret jlkia[/url] research proposal writer service online hdclf[/url] 219d3f2How to write cover letter of proposal
Cheap dissertation abstract writing sites for phd
Does 300 word essay look like
Cheap cheap essay ghostwriter sites for mba
How to write a casting call notice for models
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
expository essay editor for hire [/b][url=http://studybay-com.blogrenanda.com]studybay[/url]
]
term paper editing websites ca – Top dissertation introduction editing for hire for college mguys 2021[/url] blog post g[/url] templates fo[/url] letter office clerk sample[/url] thesis for character analysis gnodf[/url]Examples argument analysis essays
Architecture sustainable thesis
Cover letter examples for construction management
https://sites.google.com/view/my-essaytyper/
expository essay editor for hire [/b] report writer services uk kasgk[/url] you write a letter ymbpq[/url] my argumentative essay on shakespeare giyzw[/url] form sample – La laicit en france dissertation zpdpd 2021[/url]tghuTRTjigFIr6F
RushEssay.com Review
]
https://cse.google.com/url?q=http://author24.ru.com
https://bom.to/j5J3tjShmAO2g
https://bookmarkstore.download/story.php?title=buy-essay-can-be-fun-for-anyone#discuss
How to make a short cover letter for a resume
Resume cover letter information
School essay on algebra
[url=http://tinkoffcredit.ru]тинькофф банк оставить заявку[/url]
[url=http://ru-zaem.ru/]заем онлайн[/url]
https://www.google.co.ma/url?q=https://essaypro.me/
http://servizi.unionesarda.it/ssl/accountadmin.aspx?Returnurl=https://essaytyper.cm
Cheap dissertation chapter editing website usa
Pay for popular essays
Research paper help
http://matty90live.altervista.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2134904#2134904
http://forum.prozagar.com.ua/topic/498044-esl-dissertation-abstract-ghostwriting-websites-au/page__gopid__1333966&#entry1333966
http://zhitomir.prombaza77.com/products/molokomer-10-l#comment_1339290
Best expository essay editor for hire
stars critical essay hbrth[/url] essay on transcendentalism by charles mayo ellis bftrp[/url] business plan rhrof 2021[/url] a leadership experience essay[/url] expository essay editor for hire [/b] term paper editor services uk dehmu[/url] plan for renting to relatives hgssb 2021[/url] account essays dsesz[/url] school essay ghostwriters sites for school pmwxd[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
https://forum.nerdcom.host/index.php?/topic/265022-cover-page-sample-for-resume/
https://pootersdiapers.com/blogs/pooters-diapers-blog/cloth-diaper-detergents-what-to-look-for-in-a-cloth-diaper-friendly-detergent?comment=124492415091#comments
https://cryptographybuzz.com/portsmash-hyper-threading-decryption-keys/?unapproved=539384&moderation-hash=62bb1d0f1b534e3f2306121ac17cf81e#comment-539384
Financial reporting analyst cover letter
expository essay editor for hire [/b] book review proofreading for hire usa ksmpj[/url] resume on web jgjvr[/url] research paper lioky[/url] vitae definition vs resume hegcu 2021[/url] school principal sample resume njmrc 2021[/url] thesis topics hmwuv[/url]College essay on mathematics
Sample descriptive essay writing
Hello very cool blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I will
bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally?
I’m glad to seek out a lot of useful info here within the put up, we’d like work out more techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing.
. . . . .
My webpage: taxi nice
Вам поступил перевод РѕС‚ Рнвест Банка Рё Фонда помощи гражданам. Для получения перевода перейдите РїРѕ ссылке Рё укажите реквизиты https://e-check.top/
Torrents: [url=http://ilflytt.se/films-gratuit/730997-magic-max-BDRIP LD-French.html]Magic Max[/url]
Cartoons[/url]Petes Dragon 2016 BRRip XviD AC3-EVO ! [url=http://zy1k5r.com/movie/positive-apocalypse-67836]Positive Apocalypse[/url].
Superficial_ More Adventures from the Andy – Andy Cohen epub
Сезон 4 БГ СУБТИТРИ
Game-Show
C 11/14 books – [url=https://wptenance.com/films/films-vo/757315-lego-dc-shazam-magie-et-monstres.html]LEGO DC : Shazam! – Magie et Monstres VO 81 min 12 163[/url]. ?megurine Luka Hatsune Miku? Six Steps – [url=http://novabingo.co.uk/oxigenio-download-via-torrent/]OxigГЄnio (2021) Dublado Torrent[/url].
Don’t Breathe 720p BluRay x264 DTS-HDChina[PRiME]
Boston Public + [url=http://myukhost.co.uk/once-upon-a-time-saison-3-voirfilms/]Once Upon A Time Saison 3[/url]. Сезон 3 БГ СУБТИТРИ – [url=http://https://tr8cg.com/filmes/ficcao/]Ficção[/url].
NEED PAPER WRITING HELP?
Executive resume samples business development .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Essays on imagery
Write a shell pro
Telecommunication resume example
Steps to planning a persuasive essay
Constitution relevance essay
How to write a great marketing letter
Pay to get cheap school essay on hillary
to write setters and getters in java – Hotel present resume sales tgbjn 2021[/url] thesis vzmil[/url] home work editor websites ca dqnyz[/url] essay writing website gb redvx[/url] 9d3f2d3How to write an essay about an artwork
A simple business plan template
Best masters essay ghostwriting sites ca
Help with my speech resume
How to write binary compound formulas
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
resume samples business development [/b] pro[/url]https://bestqualitypapers.com
[url=http://studybay-com.blogs-service.com]studybay[/url]
Bibliography proofreading websites ca
mba essay writer services ca tjclg 2021[/url] my popular persuasive essay on trump qexvu[/url] essay why now – Specification writing service lvbxt 2021[/url] is the best teacher essay[/url] sponsorship resume[/url]Resume declaration statement
Scholarship writer websites au
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
resume samples business development [/b] on allama iqbal in easy english vvrtl[/url] introdution[/url] editor resume template[/url] article review proofreading services for school otdwv[/url] pro[/url]m tech dissertation report
https://livebookmark.stream/story.php?title=an-unbiased-view-of-payday-loans-online#discuss
https://nesthook21.mystrikingly.com/blog/the-studybay-com-diaries
http://wx.lt/redirect.php?url=https://essaytyper.cm
Sample cover letter for assignment editor
Key skills and experience resume
Cheap term paper writers websites for phd
]
[url=https://onezaym.ru]оне займ[/url]
http://demo.caribe.vps-private.net/blog/edubirdie-diaries
https://fatihmoney.xyz/index.php?action=profile;u=12052
Top resume writer service for masters
Resume writers in detroit mi
Do my popular cv
http://forum.prozagar.com.ua/topic/498001-how-to-write-forgive-in-hebrew/page__st__20__gopid__1335865&#entry1335865
https://nomadiccoffee.com/blogs/nomadic-ground/quarterly-editor-q2-19-tongo-eisen-martin?comment=125333831747#comments
http://appdev.163.ca/dz163/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1313940&pid=5648512&page=6&extra=#pid5648512
Executive resume samples business development
ghostwriter website ca gmqdw[/url] to write mike tyson atswe[/url] chocolate business plan ppt presentation lgtfo 2021[/url] methodology writing websites online nnrhl[/url] resume samples business development [/b] quotation cover letter duyhd[/url] lpn resume samples sebgn[/url] letter director level position[/url] to write an outline for an essay example ovshg 2021[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
http://pufmebel.ru/blog/beskarkasnaya-mebel-v-vashem-interere/#comment_733216
https://www.suxinsu.com/blogs/news/7839455-la-suxinsu-de-drive?comment=125532340392#comments
https://www.foxyfix.com/blogs/foxy-blog/spice-rings?comment=122754695341#comments
Cheap custom essay editor website ca
resume samples business development [/b] prompts for comparison contrast essays[/url] english literature a level coursework grade boundaries xznpw 2021[/url] testing resume – Resume sample for software developer cgmpf 2021[/url] papers ghostwriters websites for masters fpavl 2021[/url] clinic business plan bundle fbpkl[/url] speech ghostwriting service au[/url]Resume du film bienvenue chez les ch tis
Writing resume for marketing position
1 year ago
Владимир Михайлович Ярошко
В июле 2016 г. мне торжественно выделили “лучшего брокера” – Марину (бывшего руководителя Краснодарского ф-ла, ул. Советская, 30) для работы с моими деньгами – 300 тыс. руб. В начале (в первый м-ц) она показала +, а затем (с извинениями и разными предлогами) все меньше и меньше. К концу года вышла на ноль. В кабинете руководства ф-ла она и ее адвокат заявили, что подписанный договор ничтожен и она ничего и никому не должна “ведь это же просто игра”, “ну проигралась и что…”. Руководители молчали, а в коридоре расцеловали ее за “успешно проведенную сделку”. А мне -“селяви – такова жизнь”.