Montessori & Waldrof Inspired Toys

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sherry Paymani, owner of Little Rae Goods, located in Newmarket, ON, Canada.

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

We are an all-natural children's boutique. We carry non-toxic, ethically sourced toys and clothing for parents who want the best for their children.

Tell us about yourself

Not a lot of people know this, but my parents used to own a toy shop when I was a toddler back in Iran. They, unfortunately, had to close down within a year due to discrimination as we were a minority. My father started making wooden instruments. He always made me wooden blocks or wooden stick figures from the wooden scraps. My parents were middle class, and we could not afford fancy toys. So you could say I grew up with wooden toys before they were a thing.

When my daughter (the Little Rae) was born, I wanted her to have the best toys that are out there. In a way, I wanted to fulfill my childhood dream of owning a room full of toys. The more I researched, the more I realized the benefit of open-ended wooden toys.

During my research, I found a gap in the market because many of the brands I wanted for my daughter were not available in Canada. So, I decided to open a shop because it shouldn't be such a hassle for Canadian moms to buy their children's best kind of toys. After ten years, I left my corporate job, and Little Rae Goods was born.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am most proud of all the connections I have made in the past couple of years. It was not easy at first. I never owned a business. I did not know where to start. No one knew Little Rae Goods. I made many business mistakes, such as marketing and the way I photograph my products, but I learned from them. Anyone can open a shop. In fact, during the pandemic, people are losing their full-time job, and we have seen more and more toy shops opening. But opening a shop and having an amazing network of parents and other small businesses behind you is a different thing. Now I have many people being referred by their friends and family because they have heard only good things. In fact, 60% of our sales come from returning customers.

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

Hardest thing for me is continuously challenging myself to better myself and my business while spending time with my family. My business is 24/7, so when a customer messages me at 10 pm, I need to answer, or I may lose the sale. At the same time, I don't want my daughter to see me constantly on my phone. I want to be able to give her 100% of my attention when I am home.

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

Start your business as a side hustle while on a salary job. This way, you will have cash flow while going through the trial and error phase.
Don't start a business if you think you want flexibility right away. It takes time to build a business, and for the first few years, you need to focus on your business 24/7.
If you don't love the product or service you are offering, find another business. If you are not 100% in love with what you doing, it will be very hard to dedicate yourself to your business.

You can learn a lot of things by doing research, but some things are only learned through trial and error.

Where can people find you and your business?

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

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.