Interview with Baby Sweetness (Jody Pierce)

Are you a native Mainer or what brought you to the state of Maine? Tell us about your corner of the world.
I am not a native Mainer, but I have lived here for over 10 years. I am a computer programmer who used to travel from Texas every week for a project in Portland. I met my husband on that project and because he IS a native central Mainer, we settled here. We initially lived in Winthrop, but two years ago, we built a new house in Hallowell (partially because my business was taking up too much space...and I have a dedicated sewing room!).

We actually got married in Hallowell because it is such a pretty little town. We love the downtown area and the small community. I have an 8-year old son and a 4-year old daughter who keep me busy and laughing! In addition to running my Etsy shop and being a stay-at-home mom, I work part-time as a computer programmer at the same company as my husband.

When did you first open your Etsy shop? Tell us more about what you sell.
I first opened my shop in December of 2010. I was doing a craft show and realized I wanted to be able to direct people to a place to purchase after the show.

When I received my first order outside of Maine, from someone who found me just from searching on Etsy, I remember feeling so proud and excited!

The first product I ever made was a personalized super-soft, full-size hooded towel for babies and toddlers. They are definitely my first love. After receiving one as a gift when my son was born, I made him another one and then started making them as gifts before deciding to sell them. My 8-year old son still uses his because they are so generously-sized! They really do make amazing baby shower gifts, and I have several customers who insist they have to buy them for all baby showers now because they are expected within their circle of friends. After experimenting with a few other embroidered baby products, by the time I had my daughter I had finally found a new favorite item to make: embroidered birth announcements that display the name, birth date and time, weight and length in a beautiful, heirloom-quality framing. 

I love giving moms a way to record those very first "firsts" in a stylish, practical and permanent way! Working with customers to come up with custom designs to match a nursery or a specific color theme keeps me creatively inspired. I truly delight in the fact that both gifts allow me to be a small part of the pure joy and excitement of welcoming a baby into the world!

What inspires you?
People who have worked hard to succeed in life, usually overcoming obstacles along the way. Whenever I do have time to read a book, they are almost always non-fiction. I didn't even realize this about myself until recently! I'd much rather read about real-life people and learn from their lives because their accomplishments seem much more attainable. I am currently reading "She Means Business."
 
What is your favorite thing to do in Maine?
Until I moved to Maine, I don't remember ever REALLY noticing the change of seasons (Texas is hot, hotter, cooler, and then oh - it's 40 degrees two days, then hot). But now I am very much aware of it and try to appreciate what each season has to offer! In the Summer, we eat a lot of ice cream because I was shocked to learn ice cream places are NOT open year-round! We love Fielder's Choice in Manchester because the ice cream is amazing and they are located right next to a playground! We also pick all the berries we can when each type is ready; we are so excited that we have wild blueberries and raspberries in our own yard! In the Fall, we like to go apple-picking (our favorite is Ricker Hill Orchard in Turner) and just marvel at the colors of the leaves. We got married in October (after obsessing over the "peak" foliage calendars) because I was mesmerized by the bright and bold colors of the red and orange leaves. In the Winter, the whole family recently started snow-shoeing, and we actually tried tubing this year in South China (at Go Tubing). I'm the first to admit that Winter is NOT my favorite season, but I've come to accept it is a part of life here in Maine. In the Spring (also called "Mud Season"), we enjoy the last snow shower that always seems to finally hit MUCH later than we remember from the year before. And then we plant our small garden and patiently wait to see the first signs of green!  

Who are some of your favorite Maine Etsy Sellers?
I have met a few sellers in person, and I really love the work from MaineCrafted (Michael knows I am going to buy a pink seam ripper if I meet my quarterly sales goal!). I also recently discovered Myminimaine from the Etsymaineteam Instagram page! They make beautiful items from found seaglass. I missed out on the perfect unicorn for my daughter, so I'm anxiously awaiting another.

What advice would you give to a Maine seller just starting out on Etsy?  
From an inspirational standpoint, I would say don't be scared. Take the best photos you can and use the best keywords you can, but it doesn't have to be perfect. From a practical standpoint, I would say to be sure to understand shipping: costs, packaging, timing.
 
Tell us about any upcoming promotions in your shop or projects that you are working on.
Currently, I am 7 sales away from 400 on Etsy; once I reach 400, I'll be having my first ever "Thank You" sale in my shop! (The code will be posted on Instagram and on Facebook - so keep an eye out there!) I also just finished up a record-setting 10th order for a repeat customer whose grandkids and friends' grandkids all have been blessed with hooded towels!