Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Hedrick.
Hi Melissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It all started as a way to bond with my mom and relieve stress from my day-to-day. My Mom and I started crafting every Sunday afternoon. We’d post our finished projects on social media which led to family and friends asking us to make things for them. After a ton a family support, we decided to launch our business via Facebook.
We started with burlap banners and reversible decorative blocks which quickly led to the development of all types of wood decor. I only knew how to do very basic cuts with a saw so my husband and Father-in-Law started to help out with the more intricate cuts which led to the creation of our signature home sets. Our business quickly turned into a family affair when my Mother-In-Law started helping out with painting and soon, we all had our roles.
We have now been in business for 7 years with a website and distribution at Katy Trail Collections on Main Street in St. Charles. We continue to expand our offerings and have big dreams to continue to grow our business.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We’ve been very lucky to have a pretty smooth journey so far but like most other businesses, the pandemic (especially the cost of supplies), hit us hard. We strive to offer handmade goods at affordable prices but with the cost of wood prices, we’ve had to take some pretty significant price increases. Thank goodness for a loyal customer base and their understanding of what’s going on in the market right now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As mentioned, we specialize in wood decor with our most popular items coming from our home set collection. This started off as a special request from a customer for HME blocks with a baseball for the “O” (H⚾️ME) and quickly expanded into offering many options for the seasonal “O” piece. My poor Father-In-Law, every other day at the beginning of the creation of this collection, I was asking him to cut another type of “O” piece, from a heart to a shamrock to an Easter egg—he always made it happen! He would always say he’s willing to give anything a try and still does to this day!
I’m so proud of how much our business has grown over the years. We’ve put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into it and to watch it flourish, is like watching your baby crawl, walk, run. I also hope my grandma is looking down on me knowing that she had some influence on this business (she always decorated her house for every holiday—even the small ones which very much inspired my love for seasonal decor).
Our quality sets us apart—we put everything we’ve got into every piece that we make and I truly believe that’s what keeps our customers coming back.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
If you intend to sell products, invest in a website upfront. It’s totally worth it and will help you keep organized. Also, don’t sell yourself short—know your worth especially when it comes to figuring your pricing.
Contact Info:
- Email: Eleven11Treasures@gmail..com
- Website: https://eleven11treasures.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eleven11treasures
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Eleven11Treasures
