Little Handpicked: Crafting the Way Into a Successful Business
I have spent many years thinking about my “big idea” with failed attempts along the way. They were rushed, unplanned and my skills just weren’t ready yet. I went back to the drawing board, spent hours and hours on research and took classes that would help improve my experience as a business owner. Being a crafty person myself, my interests always leaned towards supporting others that were also making handmade products. Many of these people are close family or friends that may not have had the time or resources to launch a website, monitor orders or build a brand. I already knew at this time that I was committed to doing all of these things and how simple it would be to just bring them along with me. I kept referring to it as the “Adam Sandler Method”, meaning that if I am going to succeed and grow, I am taking all of my friends with me.
My ideas grew and I started to draft up an actual business plan. My start-up funding came from items I sold on Facebook Marketplace from my wedding as most of this was DIY and custom made by my Mother and I. Spent hours on research for different brands and other small businesses to add into our catalog starting with all my local friends and family first, of course. Bringing in products I liked to make myself and adding any other categories along the way that I thought would be a great fit for the site and my target market. Those first few months I spent building the website, testing products and technology, building interest from potential customers, gaining vendors and converting a bedroom in my home to my new office headquarters. In June, 2023 the storefront was officially open! I pushed campaigns and ads on my social media to gain some traction and attention and the orders started to come through. Orders from family and friends are great, but an order from a stranger was such an indescribable feeling that I still constantly get. We have hit over 21+ states since we have launched and partnered with over 12 amazing small business owners. Launched over 120 products and continuously working to add more in order to cater to our supportive community of customers. I encourage you to sign up for our newsletters and follow us on our social media to continue to watch our growth and to show your support with this dream.
If you are a small business that offers handmade products, I would love to get in touch. Please connect with us so we can help each other grow!
Little More About the Owner
Hello Friends! My name is Cheyenne and I am the woman behind the scenes here at Little Handpicked. As a kid, I always begged for one of those craft kits you would get in the toy section. Fellow students would come to me for design ideas with posters or projects. Teachers would notice my doodles on many of the papers that got turned in. As the years went by, co-workers would choose me to make the signs. Everyone that has met me will quickly find out how crafty and creative I can be. This was an amazing trait that was passed down by my Mother. Another side of me is analytical and data driven, tech savvy if you will. Being raised in the era of tech’s upbringing has taught me so much throughout the years. The strongest trait that I gained from my Father would be his work ethic. It is very rare to come across young adults that actually strive in today’s work world. A good day is a productive day filled with to do lists that have been cleared off. Bringing all of these skills together is what brought me to open this business. In times that I am not working, I am spending time with my husband, Brandon and our kitty's or hanging out with our friends and family.