Gabrielle Krake, owner of Shop Wise Bags and Contributing Editor for Chic Galleria.com, manages five blogs in addition to her business and family. Her business team and community of friends have adopted the mission: To Consume Less
To Reduce our Waste Footprint
To Be Wise Stewards of Creation
To Work as a Community to form a Healthy, Thriving Business
Gabrielle, can you share a little bit about yourself and how you got started?
I am a home educating mom of 4 children who are bold and energetic. We practice life together and enjoy the adventures we conjure up. Being a stay at home of late, I had been praying for a family enterprise that could not only supplement my husbands income, but also be used as an educational experience for our kids. Since closing a cafe several years ago, my goal has been to find a true need and fill it. As a result I have been hosting a group of people on a weekly basis to find ways to serve one another. It has become known as our household community. The model we are trying to follow is that of the Proverbs 31 woman. But instead of creating what she had with maid servants etc. We are doing the same tasks as multiple households who truly help each other. We plant gardens together, we plan events, make our Christmas gifts as a group, making it a much more efficient process. We sew together and many other tasks.
Our household community is reminiscent of era passed. As a result of this endeavor, I needed to find yet another useful craft for this group, to post on our only blog. I designed and made myself five bags, I was headed to the grocery store when a friend stopped by. She saw the bags and asked where I found such cute bags, I said I had just made them and would post the instructions the following day. But, she immediately told me that I had to sell them. Therefore the whirlwind began. She and another girlfriend became my marketing crew, One of their husbands created the logos, fonts and branding. The other husband researched and directed me toward all the business and legal details. and so on and so on... In 29 days we had a fully legal functioning business that made back $1000 of the initial start up costs. It's been crazy, and fun and ultimately a HUGE faith building experience. Everyday poses another opportunity to learn and grow!
Where do you draw inspiration for your products?Everywhere! I try to focus on a need. I really do not want to keep filling the world with more useless stuff. I want to be a wise steward of our creation. It is our heartfelt desire to serve people and create things of form and function.
Describe your best selling items?
Our number one item is the Kate bag, we cannot keep enough of them made. Second is any of the reclaimed or vintage treasures that we re-purpose. Because of the nature of finding and repurposing, many of our creations are one-of-a-kind and people like to have unique things. Our grocery bags really are the backbone, they are beautiful and so durable.
What are your plans for the future?As in my vision for our "household community", I truly want this business to grow large enough to give jobs to other people who need a safe place to work, with a flexible schedule and that they can bring their children with them. Currently, my mother and aunt work for SWB and I hope to bring two others on board soon. I want this to benefit as many people as we can. Without our God, community, families, customers and mentors we are nothing worth supporting!
Visit www.shopwisebags.com Boise, Idaho
Beth Anderson is the Editor in Chief of Chic Galleria.com and Co-Owner of Chic Galleria Publications.
Love these bags and love her philosophy on making her business grow - a great post! P.S. Have just glanced briefly at your website shop which you are closing. You have some incredible sales there!! Best of luck with this wonderful online magazine!
Thank you so much Nancy. Aren't these bags great? Gabrielle has really written some great articles for Chic Galleria. Thanks also for visiting My Chic Things.
xoxo~Beth
Thanks for the terrific article about us! It's been a great journey!!
I love the bags! so pretty - too pretty - i would actually want to go to the store! :)
As an owner of two shop wise bags, I can't say enough about the quality and beauty of these products. I love carrying them everywhere I go! They hold a lot and look great doing it. I get tons of compliments on them. I also love Gabrielle's blog; it challenges me to think of things in new ways and to live deliberately. Thanks for the great interview!
I like Gabrielle's business philosophy!
Thank you for all the great comments!!