Hi! I took a week off from the typical video interview series, but I’m glad to be back! This series – Interview with a Creative Entrepreneur – has been so incredibly rewarding for me. It’s that quote: “Life begins outside of your comfort zone” … lived out completely. These make me super nervous!
I always have these thoughts: who am I to be worthy of interviewing so and so… or stressing about what I will say, how I will “sign off” and even what my background is. But I’m committed to keep going and I hope these videos serve you well, ladies! Go do something uncomfortable today in honor of my awkward self treading outside my comfort zone and doing video interviews with these women I admire.
[side note: I was pretty sick for this interview, so ignore my face of misery that comes out a few times. It does NOT reflect my mood when interviewing the beautiful Angela!]
Angela (far right)
This week, I had the privilege of talking with Angela, co-founder of Threads Worldwide. I met Angela through her fiancé Spencer, who has recently become a good friend of my husband, Jake. Both Spencer and Jake own service-based businesses (a painting company and a carpet cleaning company.) Side note: it’s really great to surround yourself with a network of like-minded entrepreneurs if you are passionate about growing a business.
I was so intrigued by Angela’s business because it is having a worldwide impact. She works directly with artisans in third-world companies and sells the jewelry in the US through network marketing. She is pretty incredible.
You can watch the 15 minute live video interview where Angela answers a few of the questions on a deeper level. The full written Q&A is below!
So let’s go!
“Hi! I’m Angela. I’m originally from Oregon, moved to Boston for college and landed smack in the middle of the country in Colorado for the last 15 years. I started Threads Worldwide 3 years ago with my best friend from high school, Lindsay, and my best friend from college, Kara. It’s been an amazing ride so far! – Angela”
Hillary: What did you do before Threads Worldwide? How did you decide to start your own business?
Angela: Before Threads I worked in digital marketing on the sales side for 9 years. I worked from home and got to travel to all the cool cities: Chicago, New York, San Fran and Portland meeting with agencies. Whenever Lindsay, Kara and I traveled together we would find ourselves in coffee shops plotting a business to start. We had lots of ideas, but it wasn’t until Threads that we knew we found something we loved.
Can you give us a brief history of Threads? How long have you been in business? What has your growth looked like?
Whenever Kara, Lindsay and I were traveling in a developing country and saw how people are living we knew we had to do something. We would see women stall after stall selling the same knick-knacks and knew if we could give them access to a strong market like we have in the US that it would change their and their children’s lives. We launched started Threads in 2011. Our first Threads Sales Consultant started with us at the end of 2012. Growth has been steady. We’re heading in the right direction, just not as quickly as we would like.
What’s your big picture WHY? What motivates you to work hard and build your business? What is your ultimate lifestyle goal?
There are so many women needing work in developing countries and Threads is a strong resource to get money and the choices that come with money into their hands. Women reinvest NINETY percent of what they make back into their families – into their children’s schooling and healthcare. Our WHY is built in to our company. And – it doesn’t hurt that I get to work with my two besties every day!
Where did you find your mentors, or resources to help learn about entrepreneurship and running a successful business?
Since walking into my first job after college, I knew I wanted to start a business of my own. I read all sorts of business books. I read about real estate and investing and how to start businesses online. It was a really great process not knowing what I was going to do, but taking action anyway. I was naturally curious about business and was constantly brainstorming until we created Threads. I think something Kara, Linds and I have is a really great network. We know really smart and successful people who are willing to introduce us to their networks.
Can you tell a story of a specific failure you encountered while building Threads? What did you learn from it?
I came from an e-commerce background so when we were looking for systems to build our website to track commissions and hostess rewards, I looked in only one direction contacting agencies that specialize in e-commerce. We signed a huge (for us) contract and worked hard to retro fit the platform to work for our needs. It didn’t work. We went to a conference and learned about a whole new niche in software that would have worked perfectly! It kept me up at night calculating the cost of that mistake both in cash and opportunity. I thought I had done enough due diligence, but it turned out that this mistake was in my ‘blind spot’. I didn’t know it even existed. It took a while, but I realized that there was literally nothing I could do about it, but to get over it. Which brings me to my strengths – a learned strength.
What would you consider your biggest strength?
I’m good at making connections and networking. I now go to my network to learn how things work. I got to my network with questions instead of Google. It’s more interesting that way anyway!
Do you currently have help? What does the people infrastructure of Threads look like?
We have 33 Threads Sales Consultants that earn commissions on what they sell. We have hired on 2 part-time people. Michelle is an amazing Administrative Assistant and Hannah is our Marketing & Content Manager.
My advice is to hire out activities that you don’t like or you aren’t very good at or aren’t worth your time. What are you best at and what can only you do to make the company grow? Do those things and invest in other people who will make the company grow with their unique skill set.
I’m Like Brave is about creating an uncommon life. What does an “uncommon life” you love look like for you? How does your business help create this ideal lifestyle?
Threads is *designed* to create an uncommon life for women. We have built a system for women in the United States to make a difference for women in developing countries. I hear women say all the time that they want to help, but they don’t have the time or don’t know how or where to get started. We give them an easy way to make a difference – and it’s fun! Every conversation we have is encouraging and inspiring. We are creating a community and movement to tangibly change the world! I’d say that is uncommon!
What has been the most exciting thing to happen to your business so far?
Our first sale was exciting of course… it was to my dad who bought something for my mom 😀
But I think the current thing we’re all excited about is the team we have around us. We have a solid team who we know is making Threads better. It’s exciting to know that we have something that people are willing to invest their time in. I don’t know – it’s just very validating!
What is your ultimate vision for your business in the coming year? Where do you see Threads in 5 years?
This year we want to grow to have 100 Threads Sales Consultants across the country. This will put us in a solid position with our Artisan Partners to continue to support them and their families.
Five years: I have no idea. And I love not knowing. We want to be bigger?!
Artisan in Ecuador Knitting
What’s holding you back from where you are now and your end game?
Having a great field development person in place. Kara, Lindsay and I have put basic training in place. We sort of know what we’re doing with the training, but we also know that we could really expand if we had someone who is great at building teams and developing training being accountable to the field.
What is it that you need help with right now, and if you could get free advice that would solve your problem right now, what would it be?
Here’s something we’ve learned about advice: Advice is amazing to have IF we have a way to deploy the advice. We have access to a lot of advice, but what we need is a team to be accountable for the execution of the advice.
I know that’s not the question…. ok, free advice: Who should we hire next and where do we get the money?
If you could sit down with any entrepreneur for a 2 hour lunch and pick their brain, who would it be and why?
Danielle Redner, VP of Sales from Stella Dot. She is amazing at growing a very successful company that uses the same model we do. We always say we want to be Stella Dot, but fair trade. I would talk with her about what our next step should be to develop the amazing women in our field and how to grow the team quickly and sustainably. Can anyone out there make an introduction!?
What advice would you give your “just starting a business” self knowing everything you know now?
Hire sooner!
Do you have a morning ritual or routine?
I try to check my email first thing and then not again until the afternoon so it doesn’t distract me all day.
If you could do anything in life and know you wouldn’t fail, what would it be?
Be happily married and raise two beautiful humans!
What’s been the best business book you’ve read?
The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. (Buy it here)
I got a new appreciation for *my* time.
What’s your favorite success quote and why?
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs
Closing thoughts to other entrepreneurs or those wanting to take the leap?
No matter what you do…. start.
Again, I’m just so impressed by Angela. Her happy spirit and her commitment to doing BIG things by just starting and getting the momentum going. Look what she has created so far!
If you have any questions for Angela, please leave them below in the comments and she will answer. 🙂
You can visit her website at www.threadsworldwide.com and follow along on instagram @threadsworldwide.
And stay tuned for next week, when we feature Lindsay, owner of @wrensnestcreations!
Be Brave,
Hillary
Thanks for having me Hillary!
Beautiful blog and work you’re doing!
Thanks for doing the interview and your inspiring story! All the best with your work at Threads Worldwide and stay in touch!