Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Roscoe.
Mary, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My name is Mary Roscoe. I am a 52-year-old wife and mother of two from Alpharetta, Georgia. My daughter, Holly, and I are the co-owners of PillowCandy.com (@PillowCandyLLC Instagram).
Pillow Candy is a collection of seasonal, holiday, and trendy felt icons that wrap around throw pillows to change the look without having to buy a new pillow. We have a shape or every month of the year and every season! I work a full-time corporate job from home and Pillow Candy is a passion project that I do on the side. If I let time or money limit my dreams, I would never have started Pillow Candy.
My work story has always been about maintaining a mindful balance between my want for financial security and my need for creativity. In other words, “don’t quit your day job” is my mantra. Even though I work 8 hours a day I do my best to remember that there are 24 hours in a day and that still leaves time for other pursuits. For the past 30 years, I have always found a way to pay my bills in a conventional way but also unleash my creativity. When I look back at my path, I definitely see that pattern in play…even if I didn’t realize it at the time.
I graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1989 and moved to the Big Apple to pursue my Madison Avenue advertising dreams. Even though my first post-college job wasn’t as a copywriter as I envisioned, I made the most of the experience. By day, I typed letters and fetched coffee from the Young and Rubicam secretarial pool. But in the evenings, I was writing. I pitched many essays (unsuccessfully) to national magazines but did publish articles in an Upper East Side neighborhood newspaper. After finding my way back to the Twin Cities after a couple of fun but destitute years, I worked climbed the corporate ladder in the architecture/engineering profession and continued to dabble with creative writing. I joined a playwright’s center and met my goal of having a play workshopped. After getting married and relocating to Georgia in 2001, I took five years off to stay home with my kids. I have never worked so hard in my life! I spent my days chasing after two little ones and my nights pursuing my ultimate writing goal: publishing a book. In 2006, the book I co-authored with my sister, “The List: 7 Ways to Tell if He’s Going to Marry You in 30 Days or Less” was published. It made a little splash and we even appeared on The Today Show! I went back to work in 2008 and—following the same formula—worked on my second book in the evening. That book, “National Guard 101: A Handbook for Spouses” was published in January 2013.. A few years later, my daughter and I launched our micro-manufacturing company Pillow Candy. It is a whole new world to me and I learn something new everyday.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest struggle I have is to stay motivated when things don’t seem to be happening. You can have the best product in the world, but you still have to get it in front of people. It is very challenging in an Amazon world to get your product in front of people. And getting them to actually purchase it is a whole other matter. We have done local craft shows, the Country Living Fair, a West Elm Pop Up Shop and Avalon, and the Atlanta Gift Mart. There are a lot of start-up costs involved in exhibiting at shows and sometimes they are great and sometimes they are not so great. Start-up costs are high and you have to understand that it is a long-term game to start turning a profit. I have learned so much from experienced, long-time makers/vendors. Most importantly, you just have to keep at it. When you are trying to make something happen on the side, you have to spend your time wisely. You have to be patient. I try to make “one great thing” happen every week. Whether that is gaining a great influencer follower on Instagram, getting a response from a magazine editor (even if it is a “No for now”), or getting an order from a store—those “one great things” add up over time. But if you don’t actively put in the time to make something happen, nothing will happen. Of course, time is always a challenge for me as it is for most people. But if you love what you are doing, you will find the time. Jump in there and do it! You don’t have to quit your day job or wait until you kids are older to take small steps towards starting a creative business. Sometimes a secure routine and paycheck allow you to “pursue without pressure.”
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pillow Candy – what should we know?
What sets us apart Pillow Candy apart from other companies is our eye for design and the fact that there is nothing like our product on the market. I have seen burlap/country style pillow wraps, but our wraps are modern, interchangeable, and high-end. Our packaging is snappy and elevates our product above a craft show offering. Knowing that good ideas will be knocked off, we took our time sourcing materials. We layer extra-thick felt (not available in the US via wholesale or retail) to create vibrant icons.
We fabricated custom-dyed, 4-inch wide striped ribbons to coordinate with our shapes. A shiny, heart-shaped enamel pin has “Pillow Candy” printed on it and secures the wrap around the pillow. The icons slide on and off the ribbons so our customers can mix and match to achieve a more collected look. They are a great little luxury and our customers buy multiple shapes every season. We also offer colorful velveteen cases that look great with our designs. I am most proud that we just keep at it. When something doesn’t go our way, we look for lessons learned and move forward. Our products have been featured in Smart Retailer Magazine, Gift Shop Magazine, and regional/local publications. I am putting my pitching skills to good use trying to break into a national shelter magazine.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Credit is due to our family members and friends. They are always willing to listen to us “think out loud” and bounce ideas off them. They buy our products for their own homes and give them as gifts. They take pictures of Pillow Candy in their beautiful homes and share them on social media. On a local note, we owe a very special thank you to Danielle Bartling, Editor of Milton Magazine. She has featured our products in the magazine and been such a cheerleader. Local bloggers Rhoda Vickers (SouthernHospitalityBlog.com), Mireille Beckwith (City-Peach.com), and Yuni Min (LoveYourAbode.com) have graciously promoted our little business on their big platforms. We hope to emulate their success and pay it forward someday.
Pricing:
- Pillow Wrap, $25
- Pillow Cover, $15
- Pillow Insert, $15
Contact Info:
- Website: PillowCandy.com
- Phone: 404-910-6646
- Email: hello@pillowcandy.com
- Instagram: @PillowCandyLLC
- Facebook: @ShopPillowCandy
Image Credit:
I own all photography permissions.
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