TPC Member Spotlight: Share Studio
Photos: Effie Gurmeza
TPC Operations Associate Cameron Clemens spoke to Aysha Edmonds, of Share Studio, about her business that she runs out of a private office at The Pioneer Collective Tacoma!
Before we dive into learning about your company, Share Studio, tell us about yourself and maybe share a couple of fun facts.
My name is Aysha and I am a 22 year old entrepreneur. I grew up in Federal Way, then went to college at PLU where my journey as a business owner began. I have always been creative and love to paint, decorate, and build all kinds of things. You might see my mini Aussie pup Ponyo walking through the halls with me. I call myself a one woman show but she is with me in the office almost everyday!
Tell us a little bit about the background behind Share Studio. What exactly is it? How did the initial idea come about? How did it go from an idea in your head into a functioning company?
Share Studio is an elevated womens hair accessory and apparel brand. Believe it or not, this business started out as a class project in my college Business 101 class in 2019. The rubric was to “create a real product and sell it to real people for real money.” At the time scrunchies were coming back into style, and I took advantage of making a scrunchie business. Before I knew it, I had 10x’d my $30 fabric investment and fell in love with the reaction that girls got from MY product. When the class was over, I continued sewing scrunchies in my dorm room and selling them on Etsy as a side gig. When I graduated college I decided I wanted to take this small gig and make it my full time job, all while still working part-time in a coffee shop and project managing a graphic design agency. I started reaching out to boutiques and salons asking if they wanted to carry my scrunchies, launched my own website, and began doing markets and local pop up events any chance I could get. Over the last year I was able to scale my business, quit my other jobs, and branch into other products such as claw clips, tee shirts, sweatshirts, belt bags, socks, and various other accessories. Getting my own space in the Pioneer Collective is what really took my business to the next level and allowed me to expand more than I would have ever been able to.
What about the clothing and accessories industry excites you most?
I love exploring different fashion/ accessory trends. I am also learning more everyday about how manufacturing works and how to create a more sustainable product in the world of mass production.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in starting your own small business?
The biggest challenge I have faced is working with manufacturers. It is an interesting challenge to interact with different cultures overseas and make sure that I am always delivering quality products, especially as my production size is increasing. Another huge challenge I have faced is the fact that I am a one woman show, which means I do all of my order packing, graphic design, website design, social media management, photography, production/ curation, accounting, customer service, and everything else in between.
I can imagine there is a lot of pressure and stress of running a clothing and accessories company given how competitive that field is. What is the overall mission of Share Studio and what sets it apart from other companies in the industry?
The term “Share” is very integral to my brand. My number one priority will always be to create products so great that girls will want to share with all of their friends, while also sharing a portion of my profits with various charities. Other companies aren’t as connected to their customers, whereas I have made a point to feel like you are getting a part of my creativity with each order, and you as my customer are made to feel important. I also have very high quality standards for my hair clips, whereas most big box retailers sell very cheaply made clips that end up breaking. My customers always point out my quality and uniqueness which has made my customers very loyal to my brand.
What has been your most memorable project or event to date? What are some things in the near future that you are excited about?
My most memorable event to date was the Washington State Fair. I was able to set up my boutique for 20 days, meet thousands of women, and spread so much joy with my products, since my brand is unlike anything else at the fair. I am looking forward to a lot of large holiday shows coming up through the rest of the year. I also have a storefront in the works.
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Thank you so much, Aysha!
