Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Sullivan.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Littlest Warrior was inspired by my son, Eli who is my biggest hero. We found out when I was 20 weeks pregnant that Eli had a heart defect and his intestines were blocked. Both those things pointed to Down Syndrome as well, so we had a blood test to confirm.
He was born full term via c section weighing 4 pounds 3 ounces. When I heard him cry, relief washed over me. A nurse brought him over and I got to kiss him before they rushed him to the nicu. He had his first surgery at 2 days old to unblock his intestines, then it was an agonizingly long 2 days before I could hold him again. He was able to come home after only 12 days in the nicu. Then the next 6 months was a waiting game for his open heart surgery to repair his av canal defect. After countless visits to the cardiologist for echocardiograms, it was time. Handing them over to the surgeons that day knowing that I may never see my baby boy again, was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But, the surgery was successful and he amazed us again by coming home after only 6 days in the hospital.
After his heart surgery, I was looking forward to connecting with other moms who have kids with special needs. I also needed to find a way to earn an income and be able to stay at home with Eli so I could take him to all his doctor and therapy appointments and the thought of a shirt business to spread awareness and inclusion really sounded great to me! I love that when we wear Littlest Warrior t-shirts, they end up being conversation starters and that’s a great way to spread awareness!
Now, three years later, Littlest Warrior is a thriving business. We started out shipping tees from our home, but about 6 months ago, the business had grown so much we had to switch to a print on demand company to fulfill our orders because it became too much for my husband and me to handle from our home.
At first, I just wanted a little side business to help with medical bills, but now it’s turned into something I never dreamed of. It truly is a community. When I started meeting other moms of kids with special needs I learned so much other disorders and diagnosis I had never heard of before. It’s become my mission to educate and spread awareness.
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?
To be honest, it has been pretty smooth sailing. However, one obstacle I’ve come across is copycats and outright thieves. I was speaking to my lawyer one time and he said something that I’ll never forget. Sarcastically, he said, “If you don’t want anyone to copy you, then don’t make anything good.” Obviously, that wasn’t a choice, so I decided to keep creating, but to protect my designs.
My advice to women just starting their journey would be: your intellectual property is yours and you’ve worked hard for it. Don’t let anyone steal it from you. Take the necessary steps to make make it legally yours – copyright, trademark or patent.
what should we know about Littlest Warrior Apparel? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in tees for kids with special needs and the people who love them – parents, teachers, therapists, etc.
We spread awareness by featuring kids and sharing their stories so people can see a face before a diagnosis. We have a blog where I post tips for IEP meetings and other things I’ve found helpful in my journey with Eli.
One of the things I’m most proud of is how each month I donate 10% of sales to either a family adopting a child with special needs, to a foundation or to a family struggling with medical bills. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that I’m making a difference in someone’s life.
I believe that our tees are empowering – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told that the Advocate Like a Mother tee helped a mom stay strong during an IEP or some other appointment where she was her child’s only advocate.
I also believe that Littlest Warrior is so much more than a t-shirt company – it’s a community. So, many people have connected to other parents who have children with the same diagnosis through Littlest Warrior.
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
My favorite podcast right now is The Lucky Few Podcast. One of my tees says The Lucky Few – it started out as a hashtag by my friend, Heather Avis to represent how she feels lucky to have a child with Down syndrome. She wrote a book and now has a podcast with two of my other friends. The three moms discuss all things Down syndrome – from advocacy to feeding therapy.
Pricing:
- Kids tees $23
- Adult tees $25
Contact Info:
- Website: www.littlestwarrior.com
- Email: michelle@littlestwarrior.com
- Instagram: @littlest_warrior
- Facebook: @littlestwarrior
Image Credit:
Michelle Sullivan Photography
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