Get Your Hands Wet & Your Wool Clean

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mary Egbert, Owner of Camaj Fiber Arts, located in Rockledge, FL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is Camaj Fiber Arts. My customers are the most passionate, friendly people who love the fiber arts, such as spinning yarn, felting, and weaving.

Tell us about yourself

Back in 2005, my husband and I bought five alpacas. We both loved animals and thought Alpacas might be fun. Within a few years, we had a herd of 25 Alpacas. I took classes on how to care for them, how to grade their fiber, wash, dye and spin it into yarn. I spun 100 skeins of yarn over the course of a year, and there was no way I could ever use that much. So I decided to sell the yarn at local festivals and share it with other hand-spun yarn fanatics. It was a big hit! I then started to teach across the country and even wrote a book on how to properly wash wool, Mohair, and Alpaca that was shorn straight off the animal. I was always asked by my followers to put classes online because many could not travel for one reason or another.

In 2020 I launched all the classes I taught at festivals, and in 2021 I took on a huge undertaking. Each month I taught an in-depth topic pertaining to the fiber arts. By the end of 2021, there were 12 modules and over 244 lessons. I have also run a fiber subscription box for the past eight years that is doing great!
The thing that motivates me the most is my customers and friends. I love finding a great product for them and teaching them skills that will make their fiber journey more enjoyable. Two of my daughters work with me, and they motivate me every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is writing a book published on Amazon, writing several articles for three magazines pertaining to the Fiber Arts, and starting an online fiber arts school. Another huge accomplishment is having happy, satisfied customers and still being in business even through the struggles of 2020. This means so much to us in that our customers continued to be by our side even during the tough times.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things for me is bookkeeping, which is not my favorite thing to do. I am a physical therapist with 27 years of experience and was a PT director for 10 of those years. Everything that pertains to business comes naturally to me. I have a lot of drive and grit that is needed to succeed in business. Another thing I've had to overcome is social media marketing. When I started in business, the only way to market was in person and by gathering emails for my email list.

Learning the strategies of social media marketing took time, but it was so necessary to survive. I did so well that I shared it in an online course, Intentional Marketing, because I want to help other small businesses struggling to get out there in the social media world. Especially the business owner that has not grown up with social media.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

My top three tips are:

Make sure all your legal ducks are in a row in your state and at the federal level before you start transactions for your business. Choose a business name that you will never change. Secure a domain name to match your business name. Secure a Facebook group page, TikTok, Instagram, etc., in your business name. All should match for branding and instant recognition. Has a logo been made? Do you need insurance? Do you have a business bank account? Did you register your business in your state? There is a lot of pre-work to do before you even start making sales.
Start small. Don't spend thousands of dollars to buy a product, equipment, etc. Do your research and see what is truly necessary for the stage you are at today. Also, remember loans are not free money and need to be paid back. I have never taken a loan and am 100% debt free due to the way I work my business.
If you can, take a class from a reputable teacher to learn about social media (ahem) or other things that you don't know well enough that are necessary to run your business. Social media and your email list are free marketing. Take full advantage of it. Find a local group that runs free small business classes. Don't waste your money, especially at first, running Facebook or YouTube ads.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://camajfiberarts.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camajfiberarts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camajfiberarts/

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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