Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Adams.
Hi Natalie, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
When one of my best friends, Isabelle McCarthy, and I were in college, we were roommates. I was an Entrepreneurship Major with a Design Studies Minor, and Isabelle was just REALLY cool. She is from San Diego and the quintessential SD girl. She surfs, is vegan, and loves her crystals. I would go visit her every summer, too we went to ASU together). Isabelle also loves her tote bags, and one day I was sitting there wondering what I’m going to do with my entrepreneurship degree with very little capital when an idea hit me. I saw her bag and thought I can make those. I have tons of ideas, I’m good at graphic design, and it doesn’t take 100 million dollars to start. Isabelle loved the idea and now helps me so much with marketing, photography, and ideas in general. Now I have a full website that I work on in addition to my full-time commercial real estate property management job. Currently, my main goal is to just get my name out there, learn what my customers like, and make that for them. I also am trying to get into creating custom tote bags for groups like sororities, bachelorette parties, philanthropies, etc…
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m definitely still not in the positive at all, and that is tough. I pay for everything for the business on my own, and as a 22-year-old with an entry-level salary living on my own for the first time EVER, let me tell you that’s a big chunk of my income that I use to survive. It is also hard to juggle the two jobs and trying make sure I’m putting my 100% into everything I do. It is also difficult to stay motivated on the days I have no sales and am super busy. Is this a good idea? Is this worth my investment? Do I have enough time and energy to make this grow into what I want it to be? It’s definitely not easy, but I still love it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Totester. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Totester sells tote bags. It’s pretty simple. They’re trendy designs made by a 22-year-old who uses/wears the bags herself and interacts with her target customers every day. Every bag is made to order so there is no waste, the bags are made of 100% organic cotton, and it’s reusable, so the bags are sustainable in more ways than one! Anyone can buy a tote bag from Totester’s website, but Totester also offers one on one custom design consultations and group order discounts. Have a bachelorette party coming up? You can order custom tote bags for the whole group or even each individual in the group. Totester can also work with philanthropies to sell tote bags and give back to organizations of their choice. What makes Totester different from others is the one-on-one personal service you will receive when doing a custom order. It will feel more like making a project with your friend than ordering from a big company. There’s no limit to the number of drafts we can do, or time it will take to make your bags perfect. Overall, Totester is trendy, sustainable, and will be your bestie! I cannot think of much more I want out of a business than that.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
With my journey still being very young, every day is a learning lesson. All feedback is great, and I learn something from every Instagram post to every order. I ask for feedback from everyone I encounter. I take everyone’s opinions to heart and try to implement what I can into my business to make it better. Every day I am improving and learning. However, I believe the most important thing I have learned so far is that progress is more important than perfection. Do not be afraid to reach out to someone because they might say no or post a bag you don’t know if everyone will like. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. That stopped me from starting Totester for a long time, and every day I wish I would have started sooner.
Contact Info:
- Website: Totesterco.com
- Instagram: totesterco
Image Credits
Isabelle McCarthy
Natalie Adams
