Stylish, Functional & Discreet

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in handbags baby products and accessories but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Wells, CEO & Founder of Sarah Wells Bags, located in Fairfax, VA, USA.

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

Sarah Wells Bags offers stylish, functional, professional handbags and pumping accessories for moms to carry their breast pumps and more. With specially designed functionality to perfectly fit a range of breast pumps on the market, organizational pockets for electronics, purse items, and more, these are the bags that will tote everything. Sarah Wells offers a lifetime warranty, which makes the bags a valuable investment throughout the breastfeeding and motherhood journey.

Tell us about yourself

I started my entrepreneurial journey early in life. As an enterprising pre-teen, I charged my younger sister's membership dues in order to gain access to my version of The Babysitters Club. (lol) Fast forward to my career life, as the Executive Director of a national nonprofit organization in Washington, DC, I helped protect the rights of individuals needing long-term care. When I had my first baby (Maddy) in 2011, I became an exclusively pumping and supplementing mom. After I had my second baby (Abby) in 2015, I became a nursing and pumping mother. Through both experiences, one thing remained the same: the non-existence of a stylish and functional breast pump bag. So what did I do? I took my frustration and shifted my focus to supporting mothers with their breastfeeding journeys. I left my nonprofit career and launched Sarah Wells Bags.

I have been a notable leader in the breastfeeding space since 2013. I started with the vegan leather "Maddy" pump bag snowballing into more designs like totes, backpacks, crossbody bags, cooler bags, wet/dry bags, and bras. From small beginnings in my garage to an internationally distributed company, Sarah Wells Bags has grown exponentially. I didn't only earn a reputation for incredibly high-quality products but as a staunch advocate for working moms, a trailblazer in collaboration among brands, and an innovator in breastfeeding products.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is creating a community of support for breastfeeding parents. Over the past decade, we have gathered parents for peer and expert support through our social media channels and through our advocacy and philanthropic efforts. My passion for supporting working moms is now extending to a book to be published by Matt Holt Books in the Fall of 2024. "Go Ask Your Mothers" is a guide for managers to improve organizational culture and gain a competitive edge in retention and recruitment in a post-pandemic world by creating a supportive environment for moms returning to work.

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

Setting boundaries with your time (running a business can easily be a 24/7 job) and projecting inventory (the market and supply chain are constantly shifting) are the biggest challenges I have faced over the years, whether I was just starting out or now ten years later.

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

I highly recommend finding a mentor. I have been particularly successful with my mentor through SCORE.org.
I'd also tell new entrepreneurs to learn everything they can firsthand before they hire out. Take online courses, ask other business owners what has worked or not worked for them, and learn all the processes from bookkeeping to product development.
Finally, think creatively about how you can add and solve a problem in a unique and new way. The most successful businesses I've watched grow can enter a crowded space but will find a way to present a new innovation.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://sarahwellsbags.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahwellsbags
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahwellsbags/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahwellsbags
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-wells-8005561/

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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