Ask the Experts- Gussy Sews

"Ask the Experts" is finally here and we're kicking off the series with the highly talented and crazy popular Gussy Sews!!! Pull up a seat and get comfortable because Gussy has so much wisdom to share with us!

What led you to open your shop & how long have you been in business?

My husband, Zack, and I were living in Detroit a few months after we were married when we both suddenly lost our jobs in 2009. We were shocked, especially since we had graduated from college within the past year. In between applying for jobs I was reading library books on how to sew, something I had taken an interest in just a few months prior. I was also blogging, or trying to blog! ;) The longer our unemployment went on the more time I had to devote to learning the trade of sewing... and the quicker I fell in love. It was quickly the fall of 2009 and our unemployment income was about to end. The house we were renting in Detroit was also nearing the end of it's lease, so after receiving a job offer in Minnesota {and zero in Michigan} we decided it was necessary to pack up our home and travel west to Minneapolis.

Zack and I were once again employed and it was the best feeling ever! It was a huge relief to have a steady income once again and the new adventure we were on made everything else we went through as a team totally worth it. But, as the months passed I couldn't stop thinking about sewing, blogging, and the brand new community I had formed online. Would it be possible to do this full-time, I wondered?!

Ohhhh, what I wanted to give to make it possible :)



That husband of mine, he deserves a gold star. He's always supported every dream I share with him. Together we made a plan for how I could quit my NEW salaried position, the one we moved 600 miles for, to pursue Gussy Sews full time. That magical day was May 17, 2010. That's the day my heart burst with glitter... the day I literally skipped myself out of bed because I was so excited to start work. That day was a huge milestone for Zack and I, especially because I was so new at handmade // indie biz // entrepreneurial goodness. I share more details on how I did this on my blog :)

To share some easier-to-read stats: I taught myself how to sew in November 2008 and then in May 2010 I quit my day job for my dream job :)



Do you ever deal with discouragement when running your business?

A few times, yes. I think every artist faces discouragement and the only way to beat it is to,
a) find a really great support system to share the ups and downs with
b) decide whether your business is worth fighting for
c) spend a healthy dose of my day OFFline.

How important is social media (facebook, twitter, blogging, etc.) in growing your business?

Absolutely monumental. I truly believe it's the only way Gussy Sews was able to take off in the way it did. I attended a blog conference in 2010 called Blissdom, just a few months before I left my day job, and I'll always associate a large part how HOW I was able to leave my day job to attending Blissdom and being face-to-face with so many from my tribe. 

Are there any indie biz owners or bloggers that you look up to & admire?

Ohhh yes, many: Nester, Lisa Leonard, Elsie Larson, Rockstar Diaries :)

What have you found to be the most successful way to grow your blog?

Hmmm, such a BIG question :) I'd like to pick two answers: "trial and error" and "authenticity". It's totally natural for it to take a little bit of time to find your writing style and to know what kind of online community you'll develop. What you think may work may not, and what you think won't work totally will! By writing "authenticity" I mean YOUR own authenticity, not that of someone else. It's so easy to shadow what works for others but I feel like that's the easiest, quickest way to burn out and quit.

A tip: take notes on the ideas you dream up. Start making lists, categorizing your ideas into topics and then start your blog. It can be so easy to miss-mash topics and styles and it'll only cause a lot of confusion.

Don't be nervous :) Just start writing and pushing through even when it seems like no one's reading. Most likely people are, they are just nervous to comment!

If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out with a handmade biz, what would it be?

Own your niche! Study all that you can, start new trends, be confident in what you're creating :)

And just for fun... If you could have a day to put your work on hold and do ANYTHING you wanted, what would you do?

I would eat a giant platter of yummy cheeses, crackers, fruits + chocolates :)

♥ Isn't Gussy's story so inspiring?! She was one of the very first blogs that I found in this amazing handmade world, and I truly feel like she has had a huge impact on where I am today. :) Be sure to check out her blog // shop // facebook // twitter to follow along on her adventures!