S3 E.7 A Walk Down Memory Lane | LWP Memories: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!
In this EpisodeIn today’s episode, Adriana and Mariah take a walk down memory lane and reflect on Little Words Project memories from the past 8 years! The good, the bad, the ugly…all parts of owning a business!
Adriana recalls the first 3 years of business pre-Mariah. At the time, she still had a full-time job and Little Words Project was a 7pm-1am endeavor. Her mom and dad were the shipping and production departments – mom would help make bracelets and dad would create shipping labels and mail out packages. All of this took place on a folding table in a basement!
The business moved as Adriana did – she and Bill moved into a studio apartment and then into a 2 bedroom apartment shortly after. The business took 1 bedroom and they took the other. From the house cleaning lady to cousins, everyone was taking on a role to grow Little Words Project. Ads weren’t prominent in the beginning – word of mouth was (and still is!) the biggest growth mechanism.
Yes, there were supporters, but there were also people who didn’t believe in the value of the product. Adriana tells us a story that happened when she was still running the company out of the basement. She pitched bracelets to a local store that she loved, and the owner said “my customers wouldn’t buy this” in quite the uppity way. This instance prevented Adriana from going into the wholesale business for 2 years and made her feel insecure about the way the bracelets looked. The truth is that haters never completely disappear, but the good news is that loyal supporters don’t either.
The thing that sets Little Words Project apart from others is the tenacity and commitment to succeed. Some business owners throw in the towel when things get hard. No matter how hard it gets, you have to keep going. Accept that everything isn’t going to have a guidebook to fix all of the hardships - figuring it out as you go is the only way to learn. Adriana persevered through all of the hardships that come with growth, and here we are! :)
It’s hard being a woman, it’s hard working with women, and it’s hard hiring women. Adriana and Mariah touch on the hiring process. The hardest employees to manage are those that expect a perfect scenario. Startup businesses are far from perfect, but they are fulfilling. The best employees are those that commit. Knowing your purpose in the workplace is so important, and teamwork is powerful. Expect the least, and make everything you do the most!
At the end of the day, Adriana never knew that she’d be an entrepreneur. She simply had an idea and went with it. All you need is 30 seconds of courage and commitment. With that, you can do anything you set your mind to!
We hope you enjoyed today’s episode, and we’ll catch you next time!
Important Times0:50 - Welcome back!
2:53 - Intro
7:05 - First 3 years of LWP
16:17 - What sets LWP apart
23:42 - Mariah’s tangent
26:08 - Haters
33:36 - LWP’s first BIG moment
36:33 - Did Adriana see herself as an entrepreneur?
37:24 - Family and friends
40:57 - Employees
50:21 - Did they ever consider giving up?
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Welcome bestie.
We’re so glad you’re here.
We’re Adriana and Mariah. Co-hosts, entrepreneurs, BFFs, and girls just like you trying to figure it out as we go.
