Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Buttons.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Saint Louis city, the daughter of an IBEW electrician and a schoolteacher. I attended high school at Central Visual Performing Arts when it was still on the Northside. I got mixed up in the wrong crowd and ended up facing some horrific consequences. I dropped out of high school and left town to escape it.
I was working multiple minimum wage jobs. I realized that this would be my whole life if I didn’t change something. I started saying yes to every opportunity.
“Can you help my record label duplicate CDs?” YES!
“Can you screen print t-shirts?” YES!
“Can you make some buttons?” -record scratch-
At the time button making machines and supplies weren’t readily available online. I had said yes to that job but then had to go and find a manufacturer via the patent office. That’s when I realized that there should be an online supplier for button makers and supplies and I registered ButtonMakers.net.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I tell people that running a small business is like trying to fix a broken roller coaster while riding it.
There are constantly new things to learn and work through. I started this company in the early days of the internet. We didn’t have Shopify or WooCommerce back then. Amazon was only selling books. We have had to keep up with the changing internet standards, and flood of competition.
I originally registered ButtonMakers.net because ButtonMakers.com was taken. At one point the .com domain came up for auction. I were outbid by an unscrupulous competitor, who then stole my photos and much of my written content, and put up a copycat website in direct competition with me. I contacted a lawyer who said that if I had gotten a copyright registration on my site prior to that infraction, I would be able to sue them out of business. But because I had not submitted my site to the copyright office officially, I would not be able to sue for legal fees. Therefore, I would have to pay out of pocket if I wanted to take them to court. Eventually, I did enter into a low-fee domain name arbitration and they were forced to surrender the domain to me. So, I own ButtonMakers.com now too. But that was a hard lesson to learn, let me tell you.
We’ve been impressed with ButtonMakers.net, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
ButtonMakers.net is the leading online source for pinned back button-making machines, supplies, and custom promotional merchandise for schools, nonprofits, and anyone who wants to MAKE THEIR MESSAGE.
We are a woman-owned union-organized company located in my hometown of Saint Louis Missouri. 70% of our customers are women, so I believe that supporting a woman-owned, mostly woman-operated company is important to them. When I first entered this industry button machines and supplies were marketed like industrial tools. We humanized the industry by making cute and fun projects with instructions and clear pictures that inspire creativity.
What matters most to you? Why?
What really matters to me most is creating the most egalitarian workplace possible. I believe that the accumulation of wealth into the hands of the very few is one of the most pernicious social ills we face today. As the daughter of a proud trade unionist, I have encouraged unionization in my workplace. I give benefits and compensation in as fair and transparent a manner possible. I try to empower all employees to have an equal say all areas of the company. If we are to grow, we will grow together.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@buttonmakers.net
- Website: https://www.buttonmakers.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buttonmakers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButtonMakers
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/buttonmakers
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeckyButtons/
