Meet the Maker: How Did Naptime Inspirations Start and Where Did the Name Come From?
/I started Naptime Inspirations in 2010, unintentionally. At that time 3 of my 4 daughters were in school and I had a little bit of time during the day to dabble in hobbies. I enjoyed making things that I found in online tutorials but I soon realized that I needed an outlet to “unload” all the things I was making. One day the idea came to me—Why not try a craft show?! This is what prompted me to call myself a business and find a name. I rarely have trouble sleeping but one night I awoke in the middle of the night and could not sleep. I got up and brainstormed some names, Googled them, looked them up on Etsy, and finally settled on Naptime Inspirations because most of my sewing took place during Lily’s nap time. (Lily is now in high school!)
My first show was in a church fellowship hall and I think I paid a $25 vendor fee. I know I made less than $100 but I saw the potential. Over the years I refined my product line and honed in on shows that were more profitable. I especially had success with shows in which the vendors were selected by those producing the show. The vendor fees were higher but they drew more buying customers.
After a few years of some really encouraging shows, in 2019 I had a down year. I couldn’t explain it because in some of those shows the other vendors were very successful. I was becoming discontented with my business identity (or lack thereof) and wanted to make a change. I had some ideas for what I wanted my “look” to be and I was willing to cut out some products in order to streamline. It was at this time that I sought out a mentor from S.C.O.R.E. As we met, Cathy analyzed all aspects of my business and took my goals into mind, and together we came up with steps to take to reach those goals. One of those steps was for me to take a break from doing shows. This was a bold move because that was where I received most of my sales. Despite that, they were not terribly profitable for me. I wanted to focus my energy into online sales, so we came up with strategies to do that. Perfect timing (!) because in the spring of 2020 the pandemic hit and all shows were cancelled through the holiday season. I felt a relief knowing that I already made the decision not to rely on that stream of revenue. I also had my website up by then and pivoted to taking online orders for face coverings. They turned into my bread and butter product in 2020 and into 2021.
As I analyzed 2022 I learned that my retail partnerships were the most profitable stream for me. I did a few shows in 2022 but they were mostly disappointing for sales. I want to build my online presence so I am investing in some marketing help for that. I’m also experimenting with some new retail partnerships. When I began back in 2010 I never imagined where I would be in 2023! I’ve learned so much yet I still feel like I’m figuring it out each day. I continue to try new things and hope to get more Naptime Inspirations out into the world!
Enjoy the pictures of products that *used* to define Naptime Inspirations. They are still really fun to make, but I had to say no to some favorites! The discontinued inventory that I have left is available on my Etsy shop.