Meet Kerri, the mom, and maker behind My Little Bean Shop! My little beans shop offers quality and trendy clothing for babies and toddlers designed to be Eco-friendly, sustainable and durable. The "Grow with me" line offers extended wear for children and siblings and the Canadian sourced fabrics support other Canadian small businesses and the economy. Offered in pre-made items and seasonal collections, Kerri provides affordable, comfortable and feel good items to the community. Kerri makes mom life a little bit easier one pair of pants at a time. Trust me you will want to follow Kerri on Instagram - I really enjoy following her stories along and feel like you will too!
Be sure to read to the end for an exclusive discount code!
Do you have kids? If so how many & age?
Yes! I have two little girls turning 3 and 5 this year. I call them my little beans !
What's one thing people probably don't know about you?
I was in school to pursue a career as a make-up artist and on my way to being a licensed hair stylist before I got pregnant!
Are you a stay at home mom?
Yes, I am. I feel like I get the best and worst of both worlds though. Because I work from home I bring my "work stress" literally to my dining room table and I struggle a lot with working mom guilt too.
What is your favourite thing to do for yourself?
I am currently obsessed with the 9-13 step Korean skin care routines and I'm ALWAYS doing sheet masks
What's one thing you couldn't live without?
I know its cliche, but my phone. I use it for everything from tracking my moods, using the calendar, taking photos for my business social media accounts and i stalk my daughters classroom communication app.
Where is business located out of? & what's your favourite thing to do in your hometown?
My little bean shop is located in Hamilton Ontario, born and raised! One of my favourite things to do in this gorgeous city is walk the escarpment trails and see all the waterfalls, but you can find me cruising down Ottawa street or James st North vibing off all the amazing local talent and art. My city is so beautiful!
How did you choose the name for your business?
When my eldest daughter was born we nicked named her Bean. When my second came around, her nick name was Little miss. I tried to incorporate both my inspirations but "little beans" was pretty popular even though it wasn't actually registered in Canada as a business name, I didn't want any brand confusion so I added the "my" and "shop".
How do you balance having kids & running a business?
Oh gosh, I don't think I do? I try! I think balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship is a constant learning experience. What works one week doesn't work the next as my children and my business are constantly growing and changing. The only thing I've learned that has consistently been useful is to just go with the flow. Having a routine and schedule that is firm enough to keep everyone some what together but slack enough to not entirely fall apart when things go awry has been my only saving grace.
What advice can you give someone looking to start up their own business?
I have so much advice haha! First and foremost, don't let anyone tell you how achievable or over ambitious your goals are. You know your own passion and drive. That being said, how ever much work you think it will take, multiply it by ten and really consider if that work load is something you can bring to the table every single day. I was so overwhelmed with how much was all on me. I got slammed with anxiety when I realized I needed to be compliant with Canadian standards for the sale of children's clothing. No one told me and I didn't research! So research, research, research your field. You have to file your income in your taxes and you need to know profit margins and compliance. Its huge and its all on you. If you seriously want it though, those big scary things are totally do-able.
What sets your business apart from others alike?
This one is tricky! I never want to step on another business to propel mine further so I don't believe in comparing myself to others. I think all the other shops who offer the same things I do are amazing owned by some pretty cool boss mamas and you should support them too if you love their stuff! I think I offer my own tastes in fabric choices and pattern placement and I really love to connect with my community and just love on you all. I really believe in community over competition so you'll just find me over here rooting for everyone to be successful and awesome !
Coffee or tea? Both! tea is my true love but iced coffee is so my jam too !
Neutral or colourful? Both!! haha, I love me some bold colours and some pretty monochromes
Morning or night? Night owl all the way
Wine or beer? wine!
Starbucks or Tim Hortons? Starbucks
Online shopping or in store? online in my jammies
Instagram or Facebook? Instagram!
Text or phone call? text, I don't use my phone for calling
Instagram: @mylittlebeanshop
website: www.mylittlebeanshop.com
@Camara.Crew Stamp of Approval:
My little Bean Shop clothing is some of the trendiest and comfiest clothing for kids and babies I have seen! I had such a hard time picking what I wanted to get Lily and Mason because she had so many amazing patterns to choose from! First up for review is Lily's Grow with Me Hoodie. I find it so hard to find cute hoodies and sweaters for kids in stores. Either the patterns are awful or they have writing all over them. Kerri had the cutest patterns to choose from for the hoodies and was able to customize the main pattern and the arm/hood colour. The fit of the hoodie is true to size with just the right amount of room for Lily to grow with it and it fit nicely. It is soft, stretchy and the perfect weight for wearing underneath jacket or on its own on a nicer day. Next up for review is the Baby Bear Romper for Mason. It also fits true to size, is buttery soft and comes in the cutest patterns! I also got Mason 2 Newborn Hats which fit perfectly. I found that a lot of the newborn hats that I had purchased are too big for him but Kerri's hats fit him perfectly right from birth. Mason is 1 month old and they still fit him perfectly. I highly recommend messaging Kerri about purchasing one, or come on more than one of her amazing creations.
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