Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Schuette.
Hi Abigail; so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started this business when I was pregnant with my first child, Etta Mae. I was working 60+ hours at my corporate job and juggling a high-risk pregnancy and bed rest. But, I still spent all night researching the best sleep-training methods, the cleanest products, and the safest materials-everything under the sun, for my baby. I would lose sleep over finding the best quality products for her. That’s when I discovered bamboo sleepers. And if you’re a parent, you know all too well how quickly that addiction comes on! But most big-name bamboo sleep companies come with a hefty price tag and cult-like followings that sell out every new launch within minutes. So, I did what I do best-I research.
That’s when my best friend, and godmother to my daughter, Shayla Wilson-Kaplan, offered me an opportunity I could not refuse. See, she already had a thriving Boutique-Wilbur & Me Boutique. She had access to thousands of wholesalers. She told me that I could start working for myself. She encouraged me to find brands that aligned with my vision to build relationships with these brands. So, I did. I bought hundreds of samples and spoke with the brands directly. I weeded out the quality pieces from the fraudulently marketed ones. And after six months, I curated a collection I could trust. I found these amazing, quality sleepers that other retailers offer at $60.00-$80.00 and brought them to the mamas in my community for $24.99. I wanted other mamas to be able to afford quality for their babies too.
But I didn’t want to stop there. I have wonderful children and adults that I couldn’t help but think about. Children and adults with sensory-processing disorders. Children and adults with extra chromosomes. Children and adults with severe skin sensitivities. And I knew my job wasn’t done. I went back to the drawing board. I saw the collection I loved and felt proud of, but it needed to be completed. So, I set out to find more brands and items outside of just sleepers. I wanted to find clean, organic fabrics that were sensory-friendly. Fast-forward to today, and I offer bottoms, tops, sleepers, swaddles, shoes, toys, diaper bags, etc. All are made with organic materials. All seamless or soft-sewn seams that won’t upset those extra special littles in your life. And all of them at an affordable price that can beat those big retailers and promote a small business.
So, now I have a community of mamas confident in their choices for their littles at a price tag that fits into their budget. I have a business with my best friend, and I get to do it all with my baby on my hip. I quit my full-time job and take my baby to work with me daily, which is the best part! I get to be a mama, help mamas, and make my hours. It’s a dream come true!
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Some trials and tribulations come with delivering products that meet my standards at a price tag that makes sense for the mamas in my demographic. I have ordered thousands of dollars of inventory that I haven’t even let hit my sales floor. I have boxes and boxes of clothes that I have sold for pennies on the dollar to other business owners at a hit to my bottom dollar because I could not offer them to my mamas in good conscience. I’ve given up weekends and nights with my husband and daughter to work. I’ve given up my corporate salary to chase my dreams. We gave up our large, new construction home so that I could order more samples and open our brick-and-mortar storefront. But hearing and seeing the positive reviews has made all this hard work worth it!
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
On top of offering clean, sensory-friendly brands, I also create custom designs and apparel. All the children’s graphic shirts offered in-store are my creation! I digitally design all the prints, create them and press them here, in-store. Nothing is better than seeing something I created from nothing but an idea fly off the shelves.
What makes you happy?
My family. My daughter and my husband.
My husband, Kyle, is the hardest-working man I know; his dedication to his family and friends is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. He has allowed me to chase my dreams of becoming a stay-at-home mom and running a business we didn’t know would generate enough to cover the start-up costs. He has already sacrificed so much for me, his community, and his country. He is a United States Marine Corps veteran and a former Police Officer. He is my best friend and the best dad I have ever seen.
My daughter, Etta, is the best thing that has ever happened to the two of us. After 18 months of infertility treatments and lots of tears and prayers, she came to us and has been our family’s brightest blessing. She inspires me daily to work harder, love deeper, laughs louder, and learn more. Having a daughter look up to me is what drives me every single day. I hope everyone can experience the love that my husband and daughter pour into me. I couldn’t imagine any of this without either of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wilburandmeboutique.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babyandmeboutiquellc
Image Credits
For my personal photo of my family-it was taken by J. Graeler Photography or Jessica Graeler.
