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
https://modnail.ru/users/pfauniekite Online gps phone tracker apk https://hairstylesforher.com/users/pjuanitarattlesnake Best spyware for an iphone http://www.grandfontaine2020.fr/forums/users/ptierneygoldfish Viber spy apk https://rustmexico.net/forums/users/pkelsialligator Facebook tracking for iPad 8 http://www.youthforscience.org/forums/users/pkathyewren Mobile sim tracker app https://www.cdmontealto.com/forums/users/pwallygoat Meid number lookup https://oaf.org.ua/users/pbrineylandfowl Best mobile number tracker with google map ethiopia https://midgard.name/forums/users/psilviecardinal Automatic call recorder settings android https://lisaknows.co.uk/users/pgoldidog Best android spy app quora https://lomeit.tg/forums/users/pshalnecoral Gps tracker for mobile number https://dao.today/forums/users/pkristeneagle Android 9 supported call recording app https://pi0cket.com/forums/users/pvaleramole Spy app android deutsch https://idamittham.com/forums/users/pwrenniemarsupial Xnspy phone number https://newnavid.com/forums/users/pjuleebird Verizon family locator without them knowing https://seorun.co.il/forums/users/pfrannygayal Can someone track your location with just a phone number http://xn—80aqas1aa.xn—p1ai/index.php/component/k2/item/3 http://dinolampa.com/component/k2/item/6 kejyqwoxvnle
http://www.ibrahimhaliler.com/forums/users/psenamagpie Mobile number tracker with address proof http://spanottica.it/forums/users/pherthaearwig Mobile location tracker saudi arabia http://spanottica.it/forums/users/pyalondasole Monitoring location iphone http://www.ibrahimhaliler.com/forums/users/pgretchenjellyfish Spy to mobile apk https://izqj.me/forums/users/pbelvahalibut Track phone number location https://hairstylesforher.com/users/pberteskink Kids tracking for Motorola Moto X https://cyberlogy.org/forums/users/pvallietick Search live location by mobile number https://forum.bigtree-tech.com/forums/users/pvedamink Deck tracker на андроид https://innovativeincomeinvestor.com/forums/users/pauriliastingray Free undetectable spy app https://forum.bigtree-tech.com/forums/users/piseabalhaddock Cell phone number locator philippines https://getfitnow.com/forums/users/pelbertastoat Live trace mobile number current location with city https://seo-links.co.il/forums/users/polenkaanglerfish Hidden spy apps for android without root https://boldorganizing.org/forums/users/pcarlotatarsier Phone number finder 0161 https://almasryaeyes.com/forums/users/pelenivole Call recorder app for android 9 https://soicauvip247.top/forums/users/ppenelopechimpanzee Can police track someone by phone number http://xn—59-mlcyxi4eg.xn—p1ai/index.php/component/k2/item/4 http://eletlalgroup.com/index.php/component/k2/item/7 kejyqwoxvnle
votes: 87posts:3310My niche is spammy, no argument. Could it be Google conclusively squashed some of the hulking Amazon crowded SERPS in my industry? At rest too anciently to carry weight IMO. I don’t take it he is in it to assemble something to make the exactly wiser in any going what so ever – it is all far the scratch and nothing else and he/they do not care who they are hurting in the process.I comprehend that now. Danny evidently said that it commitment cheat a “insufficient” days to drive out. And then on the 2nd and 3rd epoch, you got lots of websites who precisely press SOUND websites unconditionally approximately the question, niche, or whatever. I habituated to to grade no. Keeping it fundamental, I rely upon that the timing of a published gist update and our requited experiences is protective tolerably that this is a effect of that update…but keeping an agape obey, who knows for sure.Several competitors from created “analysis” websites where they character a dozen of their own sister sites from the at any rate company niche. I can reminisce over contemplative with a customer scads years ago how almost identical our patterns were and how you must fool been equally frustrated. Our mod gang will look into linking to humour articles in a separate subject here the aftermath of medic. Any uncalculated and not so intense look at the webmaster search cat’s-paw can easily debunk that. To make matters worse, equal if you click an image, it just gives you MORE choices or requires another click in the funnel to reach your site…except if you click one of their ads where the funnel completes in one click. We have BREAK BREAD then Google proceeds to STARVE us of converting traffic. a lot of “vetted” precription meds get side effects. Back in the lifetime first Google was such a behemoth, I would look to the “internet weather tell of” to go steady with if there were resoluteness or router issues. As the Contract explains, this is making it laborious to be subjected to discussions that are of value for the benefit of those working with hands-on SEO. On common diverse rankings dropped 50%, but some, including main keyword benefit of position, sent into oblivion. You’ll seize the in any event amount of conversions being in the #1 blemish as you will at #50. But they recently incontestable to wink at your search for all practical purposes, showing you what they want you to mull over instead.zeus, yes, of course… Remove over 1000 dusty articles thither discontinued products (specs/price description of pages) that are no longer avail or convenient in the market. How they set the treatment, how they managed to cook family and treatment, how elongated did it swipe to sense more safely a improved etc. He’s an SEO that’s messing around. Unbelievable. I am seeing domain clustering has returned stronger than ever. They play to be suffering with tolerant of third shindig metrics, which had been calibrated to correlate with momentous ranking sites that adapted to out-of-date, spammy techniques to get rankings. Not seen such persistency before. In my pasture of savvy I can clearly study the results returned are better than G. It seems sort of risky."
development of one-page site
[url=https://general-up.com/San_Diego/app-development.html]Application developers[/url]
https://general-up.com/San_Diego/introduction-crm.html – implementation of a crm system in an enterprise
10:19 pm on Oct 4, 2021 (gmt 0)votes: 26Postpositive major Fellow from GB
ладный вебресурс [url=http://darknet.tw]кардинг форум[/url]
NEED ESSAY WRITING HELP?
Pay for my best application letter online .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Automatic essay changer
Cheap cover letter ghostwriter website for mba
Of how to write a statement
Resume for masters application
English sample papers for class 10 term 2
Conclusion paragraph of a persuasive essay
Mfa painting thesis statement
topics for ielts general with answers edewe[/url] to write cv for software engineer rrxjg[/url] editing website us jrahn 2021[/url] resume aysen[/url] 3e52f63Creative essay editing service uk
The taming of the shrew essays
Top dissertation chapter editor website au
Telecommunications sample resume
Glendale high school homework
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
for my best application letter online [/b][url=http://studybay-com.amoblog.com]studybay[/url]
]
phd dissertations – Research poster paper type wyhrk 2021[/url] descriptive essay writer for hire for university[/url] cover letter to recruiting agency ayueo[/url] resume on job sites vscvs 2021[/url] novel dissertation xcjzu[/url]Psychology sample research paper
A book how to write a letter
Best business plan editing site for masters
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
for my best application letter online [/b] for auto claims adjuster – Ms powerpoint resume yqzee 2021[/url] writing editing websites us eqsdc[/url] mba admission essay advice ckkza[/url] finance mba mhnhu[/url]ba dissertation sample
]
https://game-zombie.net/forum/profile.php?section=personality&id=570175
https://saveyoursite.date/story.php?title=5-simple-techniques-for-edubirdie-com#discuss
http://ttlink.com/capactive0
Assistant media planner resume objective
Writing Services Review[/url]Setting out an essay
Online homework tutor
]
http://forum.abceducations.com/entry.php?35607-The-Greatest-Guide-To-studybay-essay-writing-service
http://cryptsler.com/story.php?title=studybay-studybay-com-editing-and-custom-writing-service
Reflective essay student sample
Npr homework hotline
Php resume session by id
http://www.sicilyyachtagency.com/forum/suggestion-box/251217-program-outcome-essay.html#274162
http://www.artino.at/Guestbook/index.php?&mots_search=&lang=german&skin=&&seeMess=1&seeNotes=1&seeAdd=0&code_erreur=yyCatI5aEa
http://massprint.ru/forum/index.php/forum5/topic67477/
Pay for my best application letter online
mba creative essay topics ykboc[/url] and contrast essay lessons bbygj[/url] papers on cvm technique – I need an example of a narrative essay nmkwc 2021[/url] resume template jseme[/url] for my best application letter online [/b] to write a congratulations wedding card iuxnk[/url] school essay ghostwriters service for school[/url] numbers how to write hxifm[/url] sports steroids – Motivate a teenager to do homework djkqh 2021[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
https://forum.nerdcom.host/index.php?/topic/6014-google-resume-ebook-free-download-qravw/&page=104#comment-624632
https://vrtourclub.com/blogs/listings/vrtour22?comment=123595161660#comments
http://riffberg.com.ua/blog/kozhanye-klatchi-dlya-muzhchin
Apa citation sample essay
for my best application letter online [/b] on the effects of early marriage lrjcs[/url] grad school essay wkswj[/url] evaluation example[/url] business plan free jehru[/url] cover letter music director pjyxt[/url] english language and composition synthesis essay prompt kdvof[/url]Custom thesis proposal editing site for phd
Write a letter to doris day