Clutch Mi

Happy Friday Ladies!!! I am super excited to introduce you to our first guest blogger Michele Dean. I think you will be inspired by her story. She is the epitome of a WWRS and I hope you all enjoy her story. Please make sure you support her business as well.

My name is Michele Dean also known as the “ The Clutch Queen.” I own Clutch Mi by Michele, which is a line of handcrafted clutch bags I refer to as art in motion. Clutch Mi evolved from a desire to do something besides working a nine to five. I was introduced to a book called, “ The Secret,” and began following the steps outlined in that book. I started acting as if I what I desired already existed. Although I was working on my regular job, I was speaking into existence that I would not be on that job long. I even started cleaning off my desk like I was going to be leaving soon. Keep in mind, I had no idea what I was going to do but I was sure it would manifest itself. Then suddenly this idea entered my head to design clutch bags. I posed the idea to my husband (then boyfriend) and he with his entrepreneurial prowess asked how do we make it happen. We decided to take a trip to our local fabric store and just started picking out fabrics, hot glue guns and anything that we could find to assemble this clutch. Neither of us knew what we were doing, but we made it happen. I put a picture of the bag on Facebook just to show people what I had created and they started asking how to purchase. The intent to sale this bag had not even entered into my mind, but the desire to do something other than what I was doing was there. The response was overwhelming and the requests from people wanting clutch bags started coming in. I became fearful because I had no clue as to what I was doing. I did not know how to sew one lick and I surely did not want to sell a clutch bag to someone that was put together with a damn hot glue gun. I was not going to have folks talking about me so I relented.

My husband bought a sewing machine and kept asking me when I was going to learn how to use it. Being intimidated by it, I snapped at him and told him that I was not going to learn how. People started asking me when I was going to make them bags, my sister was telling me she was showing people my bag and they thought they were beautiful. Still, I was not confident in myself so I did nothing until months later, I decided to pick up the sewing machine, get off of social media and teach myself how to sew. Yep, I am completely self taught and did not have any assistance from anyone. I started pushing out clutches like I had been designing for years. I built up my customer base fairly quickly and I knew it was time to launch when my money started matching the money I was making on my nine to five. I left my job about a year after I started Clutch Mi. What I have learned is you do not have to be perfect to start anything, you just have to start. It does not take you having a lot of money or know how, it just takes you STARTING. Ideally, we want things to be perfect but perfection can lead to stagnation. I was thrust out there and I am glad I was otherwise, Clutch Mi would just be another dream gone by the wayside. I have also learned that people buy into you more so than they do what you are selling. You have to go in knowing that the people who buy your product are essentially those who make your business. I think the hardest thing for me in the business I am in is not being able to trust others to do things as I would do them. This has caused me to have to do a lot of things alone when I really should have trusted others to help me who offered. Allow people to help you if they are “truly,” willing to help you. Both my husband myself are entrepreneurs, so we both work from home which allows us to be there for each other.

Balancing personal and work life is difficult in that when you work for yourself you have to be completely hands on. It is hard to step away because you want what you are doing to be successful. I had to learn to allot myself time for myself in order to regroup, recharge, and renew. I found it was better for my creativity when I stepped away and took a breather. I now allow myself breaks, vacations and time with family and friends. It is necessary so you will not be burnt out. My personal mantra is “ I am a reflection of what I create,” and with that I put my all in whatever I put my hands to do.

If you would like to see the beautiful work of this lovely soul please visit her website

www.clutchmi.com