Meet Allison Davidson Motoyama of Dona Bela Shreds

Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Davidson Motoyama.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Dona Bela Shreds was founded in 2010 with a website and a road-warrior mentality. I traveled to various holiday markets and festivals to sell the Shreds directly to consumers – I lived and worked out of my sister’s basement. After we saw the excitement and the financial growth, my husband joined me, and we launched our wholesale division in 2013.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s always tough at the beginning. We launched with a new product, a new market and little experience with the wholesale market. Some questions that I struggled with were: What markets to attend? How to package my product? Pricing? Should I hire someone? How do we grow?

The first step (and the hardest) was making a decision to do SOMETHING and taking the risk. Most likely, the decision you make is going to have to be “tweaked” or changed entirely, but acting on a decision is the first “brush stroke” of your company. There is nothing in place today that was there at the beginning. Change is inevitable in business and essential to business growth.

Another challenge was having a competitor immediately see the excitement surrounding our neckwear line and copy it entirely – albeit being made in China. They even took our online retailer locator and sent their catalogs to all of our retailers. Yes, I was very angry, however, it upped my game. I changed my attitude and decided to “Bring it.” Two years later, they were no longer selling their substandard neckwear product.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dona Bela SHREDS – what should we know?
Dona Bela Shreds is a fashion accessory line that upcycled textile remnants and designs them into unique fashion accessories. Handmade in the USA.

We specialize in fun and fashionable neckwear and headwear. As a company, I am most proud of our company values, our product line, and our team. Together, we establish an excitement for our fashion accessory line that is proven with repeat business.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Determination and focus on the two most important factors to the success of the company. When you’re afraid to take a risk because you aren’t 100% sure of the outcome, take the risk.

When a competitor tries to compete with your brand, be better. When you encounter new sales channels (i.e., Social Media, Online Distributors), be open. And be focused on what matters. You can be pulled in many different directions – stay focused on what is important and what works.

Pricing:

• ShredLITE – $24
• FionaSHRED – $36
• BelaBANDS – $8

Contact Info:

• Address: 1251 73rd St. Windsor Heights, IA 50324
• Website: www.donabelashreds.com
• Phone: 877-361-0884
• Email: allison@donabelashreds.com

Image Credit:
Elizabeth Carrie

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