Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerissa Ortega.
Hi Jerissa, 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?
It all started in 2018 as a new stay-at-home mom caring for my 4year old son and newborn daughter. My personality is generally driven and hard-working, so staying home was new, and I obviously could not stay still. My first goal in picking this hobby up was to make my kids cute tees and onesies to match and for special occasions. I love arts and crafts, so it’s fun for me! I started making things for my close family and friends on my kitchen table while the kids were playing or napping. That’s how I decided on the business name. I now have taken over my upstairs and work while the kids are at school. Starting While My Kids Nap helped bring in some income to contribute to our family. I was able to complete my college degree in teaching. I treated it as a side hustle at first, as I was figuring out life, then in 2021, I turned it into my full-time job. WMKN started as a hobby and quickly grew into a business, my other baby. I have grown my audience through word of mouth, social media, and pop-up markets. Today, I work off my social media platforms by posting, going live, and setting up twice a month at nearby markets and local events.
It has been challenging. As a small business owner, it takes a lot mentally, physically, and emotionally every day. My biggest challenge is finding balance when orders come in left and right. I always have to remind myself of my “why,” the importance of our family, and why I started this journey in the first place. My customers mean the world to me, but it’s hard to remind them that my family comes first always, the business second, then myself. But then I have to remind myself that I’m way important too, to put myself last. Those feelings are never-ending. I want my customers to always be 100% happy and satisfied with their products. I do my best to keep everyone excited and returning for future purchases. When mistakes happen, because I am human, it’s a challenge to set those rules and boundaries, and also always make things right.
I can create different products with vinyl, sublimation, screen printing, and DTF prints. I am known for creating t-shirts and caps and working on customized and bulk orders. Depending on the requested artwork and customer preferences, I primarily work with screen, sub, and DTF prints. I have partnerships with other local businesses creating merchandise and designs. I help other t-shirt creators like myself with designing and printing to help push out orders for our community. What sets me apart from others is custom requests, creating what my customer wants/needs, and working with my community. I am proud to have built a brand that represents everything I love!
As business grows, I do see myself with a local office/storefront where my customers can come in and discuss orders, choose colors and layouts and shop. I’m not sure what the future holds for WMKN, but I do know that I will continue to work hard and grow daily by doing what I love!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/whilemykidsnap
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/whilemykidsnap
