Michelle Bailey always wanted to start a business, but she wasn’t sure what. Although a salon had crossed her mind, she was once a hair stylist, she decided against it. Instead, she went into the fabric business, reports The Gadsden Times.
“Sewing was my hobby,†Michelle says.
When she realized there was no place in Gadsden to get boutique fabric, she decided she had her business idea.
Her husband was supportive and told her to “go for it.†He is a business owner himself.
Before opening Material Girls, Michelle was a stay-at-home mom.
“I really got into sewing with the kids,†she says.
Her son, Fisher, is 4 and her daughter, Gabby, is 2. She began making clothes for them.
Being the owner gives Michelle the freedom to bring her children to work, which she does one day a week. (Her mother-in-law also keeps them one day a week, and three days a week they attend day care.)
“I can bring them and feel like I’m not putting anyone out,†she says.
Her son and daughter enjoy it when customers bring children with them, and Michelle notes that the days Fisher and Gabby are there tend to be her busiest.
Photo by jenn