Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in keepsakes but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer McAllister-Nevins, Co-Founder & CEO of Savor, located in Sag Harbor, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Savor, we make elevated modern homes for the things that matter most, from important family memories to the most important documents and objects.
Tell us about yourself
Keepsakes have an old-fashioned, unhip connotation. But especially in this digital world, these physical objects we keep have special significance: They tell the stories of our lives. They're how we connect with each other and with other generations. I believe they should live with us and be a source of joy. So I wanted to guide families in how to save their memories in a super simple way. And I wanted to create elevated boxes that were meant for display, so they could be enjoyed, not shoved at the top of the closet or the bottom of the basement.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being adaptable because the ground is always shifting. One of my proudest moments came when I realized in October, I would be sold out of our best-selling baby keepsake box by Black Friday. That wasn't because we were suddenly super popular. It was just bad planning on my part, and we definitely depended on Christmas sales. We pivoted and realized we could repurpose an existing product to create an alternative baby keepsake box that was less expensive. It saved our Christmas, became one of our best-selling products, and launched a whole modular product line, the Memento Bento.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
It's really hard for me to draw clear boundaries about work hours. There's always so much to do. I don't ever really turn off and not think about it, but I'm working on it!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure you have a supportive family. My husband helps me in 1000 ways, whether it's directly, as our first unpaid CFO/CTO, or picking up all the slack with family obligations, and mostly by just being emotionally supportive through all the ups and downs.
- Sticking with it is more than half the battle. Having a good idea to start is important, but it's not what's going to make the business grow.
- Know that failure is part of success.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://savor.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savoritall/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savor.it.all/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savor/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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