Mom Invented

When Amanda Green's daughter Jordan wanted some funky spandex shorts to wear for sports practice last year, she ordered a neon pair from American Apparel for $28. When they came in the mail, Amanda looked at them and said, "I could make these" -- she just needed to find the right fabric and thread.

The graphic designer with a passion for sewing created a pattern and made a few pairs with funky fabrics for Jordan to take to school the next week. Her teammates went crazy for them. By the end of the week, Amanda had orders for 20 pairs.

Soon after, she trademarked the Spandees name and logo, and she officially launched the business three months later -- on January 1, 2009. Still a one-woman business, with Amanda doing all the sewing herself, Spandees are currently sold online and at some local stores. Amanda is now working on a new line of sports bras for Spandees.

Amanda took some time out of her busy schedule working a 4-day-a-week job, growing her business and parenting three children to share how she's making it all work...

Why did you start this company and when?

Back in the fall of 2008 when these spandex shorts presented themselves, a light bulb went off in my head.  This combines two different passions that I have. Sewing: I have been sewing since I was around 12 or 13, in high school made all my own clothing, and through the years I've made custom curtains for other people and sewn for my own home. And graphic design: I went to a very small art school in the South and love the design and graphics work involved with Spandees. I also realized that I'm not getting any younger and life is too short to not "go for it."

What were your initial goals?

I want to be the brand of choice for young girls to wear on and off the fields to show their unique personality and sense of style and fun. In other words, I would like to have a Spandees empire.

How did you finance your business?

I used credit cards, and when I make money it all goes back into my business. I probably spent about $4,000 or $5,000 since I did have an added expense of trademarking my name and logo.

What process did you follow to develop a prototype and find a manufacturer?

I Just created patterns and tweaked them as I finished them.  My daughters don't have any problem telling me if they strongly like or dislike something.

I am currently exploring having someone else make the shorts but at this time I actually do everything.  I'm a one woman show.

Were there any setbacks in product development that had to be overcome?

I had to find the right thread manufacturer to sell to a smaller company for sewing exclusively on spandex fabric.

What secrets have you learned in terms of publicity and marketing your product?

It's been all about girls seeing other girls wearing Spandees and showing them off.  We have a hem label that I designed exclusively to set my crazy spandex shorts apart from the other brands.

What was the biggest learning curve in terms of marketing your product?

Learning Yahoo Stores and getting my website up and running where it looks professional without hiring someone else to do it. I had all the other abilities of being a graphic designer, so I was able to design my logo and all the graphics for anything I need to have printed. I love a hands-on approach.

What kind of support system do you have in place personally and professionally?

Amanda Green and her Daughters Sam and Jordan

I network with a few other business owners that have online retail shops and I search the internet, make lots of calls and ask a lot of questions. My mother in Tennessee also had a retail quilt shop for about 12 years, so she has been a great source to bounce ideas off of and just talk about things with.

Who has been your biggest source of inspiration? What keeps you going?

My daughters and my mother.  I keep going because I think that the future Spandees empire would be a fun thing for my daughters to take over someday with their own ideas for new styles and patterns for other young girls.

What advice would you offer other moms developing their ideas?

If you have a gut feeling that something will work, go for it.  Life is too short to have those regrets when you get older.

Thanks for sharing your story, Amanda! If you have a great story to share about your business, we'd love to hear it!

Tagged as: clothing business, featured mom, kid-inspired, part time business, product business, second business, weekend entrepreneur