Desire to Create: Interview With Female Entrepreneur Caitlin Childs

In this interview with female entrepreneur Caitlin Childs, she shares the details on the new fall line for All That It Seams.

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From the time she was young, Caitlin Childs had “an insatiable desire to create”. Driven by that desire and sheer talent, Caitlin founded All That It Seams, a functional and fashionable women’s accessories line. From purses and clutches to leg warmers and even swim cover-ups, Caitlin creates for the woman who wants to stand out. Also motivated by a deep love for animals and a need to give back, All That It Seams donates 10 percent of the profits from each product sold to animal shelters.

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Caitlin about her mission and new products. Her interview is heartfelt and inspiring and I love what she has to offer. From young professionals to new moms to just the girl on-the-go, All That It Seams, has something for everyone and I hope you leave as inspired as I was! You can follow All That It Seams on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, or visit the website to snag some products of your own.

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In a nutshell, can you tell us your story? What inspired you to start your own business?

When I was eight years old, I had to do a book report and dress up as that person. I chose Betsy Ross, the creator of the first American Flag. My mom thought it would be a good idea to use that opportunity to teach me how to sew. We sat down together and she taught me how to make my own replica of the American Flag for my report. From then on, I had an insatiable desire to create. My grandmother taught me how to knit at age fifteen and after that, I started making my own patterns. Fast forward to adulthood, I held two separate jobs as a seamstress and boutique manager but always dreamed of branching out on my own. Once I felt like I had perfected my skills, I did exactly that.

What kind of obstacles did you face while creating All That It Seams?

As a business owner, there are obstacles to face every day, but they were certainly more magnanimous in the beginning. Probably my biggest challenge at the start was that I wanted my own professional-looking website but had no idea how to create one and no budget to hire a web designer. Instead, I got on YouTube and watched a four hour long tutorial of how to create an ecommerce website from scratch. It took me three days to complete, but it remains one of my proudest accomplishments.

Who is your ideal customer for All That It Seams? How do you design your products with that customer in mind?

My ideal customer is the woman who is tired of cookie-cutter fashion. She’s tired of buying the same
accessories that everyone else has and throwing them out a year later when they are worn out. This woman wants products that are made specifically for her life and that will last longer than a season or two. I think about this woman every single day when I’m creating my products. If it’s a mom who needs some organization in her life so that she can compartmentalize her kid’s toys and diapers from her makeup and money, we have a purse with three separate compartments for just that. Maybe the business woman wants to save her coffee for later, so we created a bag with an insulated coffee sleeve. For each problem that everyday women face, we have created a solution and made it highly fashionable.

Fall is on the horizon! What was the inspiration for your upcoming fall line? How will your new products differ from what’s currently available?

Let me just say, this upcoming line is my favorite BY FAR. I love challenging myself to always create bigger and better things than last time and I feel like I have really achieved that with this line. For this fall, I was greatly inspired by the mountains. As a kid, I used to love going on ski trips with my family and bundling up against the cold mountain air. Not only have I incorporated crisp lines and rich colors that reflect the mountain scenery, but I have also designed each product with the element of warmth in mind.

Can you describe your collaboration with animal shelters? Where did your desire to give back in that way stem from?

About seven years ago, my lovable Rottweiler, Bruce, showed up to my door. Unfortunately, a few days later, a neighbor called animal control on him because they didn’t realize my intent to keep him. He was picked up and relocated to a local shelter where I had to officially adopt him. What I saw when I got there absolutely broke my heart. His once happy face was now filled with panic and terror. He nearly ripped my arm out of its socket trying to lead me out of there. It was at that point that I made a promise to myself that I would do whatever I could to make sure that these shelters had enough funding to not only care for the animals physical needs, but to cater to their emotional needs as well.

Do you have any advice to share with other entrepreneurs?

Never stop learning. Once you stop learning, you stop growing. Knowledge truly is power in this industry. We have the entire world at our fingertips! We may as well make the most of it.

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About Caitlin Childs:

I always felt like I never quite fit in. There was just always something about me that was a little different from everyone else (I mean, during high school, I would go home and knit on the weekends for fun). This characteristic often flowed over into my style as well. I didn’t want to wear the same things as everyone else, or carry the same bag as everyone else. I always had to have something that stood apart. The older I got, the more I was complimented on my unique sense of style. It was then that I realized that other people were tired of floating downstream, too. That is what inspired me to create products for women who aren’t afraid to stand apart.

All That It Seams’ fall product line will launch in the coming weeks! Keep your eyes peeled for updates and in the meantime, head to the website to stock up on summer favorites!

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