Business #5…Storybags: Cindy Bennett

Business #5…Storybags: Cindy Bennett

Denver, Colorado
303-419-4724
www.storybags.com


Start Date: April 2009

According to Chief Story Teller and Founder, Cindy Bennett, Storybags was born out of “a love of gift giving and sharing smiles.” When I asked her why she started Storybags, she told me her about her love for start-ups, the need for a new challenge, and a passion for doing something that made a differace. Cindy also told me that when she decided it was time to start a new business, she made a list of things she loved, and giving gifts was at the top. Who knew you could make a business out of gift giving! After a little more brainstorming with friends and colleagues, Storybags was created.

Storybags specializes in unique gift bags that are delighted to be re-gifted, in fact, it is encouraged. Each story bag is made from unique fabrics, ribbons, beads or coins, allowing the giver to not only give a unique gift, but to wrap in with a unique style. And since the bags are made out of fabric, they are designed to be passed on to other friends over and over; the ultimate in recycling.

Cindy admits that while she is still very new in her business development, she is not new to small business ownership. After starting and operating a cable consulting firm with a partner over ten years ago, Cindy was ready for another challenge and something a little more fun.

After jumping into the adventure, Cindy admits that it was a little more difficult than she thought it would be. She recalls thinking, “It’s gift bags, how hard could it be?” and then came all the details. Details like designing bags, tracking the designs. Who would make the bags? What fabrics? What styles? Building a website…the list went on and on. Cindy may not have even started the company if she done more investigating on the front end, but now that she’s in it, she loves it. Her key to getting through all the details has been to break them down into manageable pieces. Take manufacturing: she decided to just focus on find a local seamstress; then she found local manufacturing to produce limited quantities. In the future she hopes to outsource all production over seas, but that will have to wait…for now.

Marketing of her bags has not taken center stage as of yet. Cindy wants to perfect the bags and the process for making them before she makes the investment of time and money into marketing. The majority of these early sales have come through charity fundraising events (The Boulder Humane Society, Colorado AIDS Project, The Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center, Colorado Youth at Risk as well as others), corporate gifting, and some retail. According to her website, she has placed 1470 bags into circulation as of this writing.

I was curious to know how she had been featured in the Denver Business Journal. She told me she just sent them an e-mail, but did mention she had previously been featured in Denver’s 40 Under 40 list, and her mom had recently been in the journal for her import business: AfricaDirect.com. A little shameless namedropping never hurts.

Cindy wanted to tell new and aspiring entrepreneurs that this life is not for everyone. It is exciting and “sexy”, but it is a lot of hard work. One needs to ask the question WHY? Be clear about what it will take, and ask other business owners if they think the idea is feasible. After you get all the advice, listen to your instincts, don’t listen too much to the “experts”.

Thanks Cindy for telling us your story. Your “love of gift giving and sharing smiles” is evident in your business, and I hope it takes you around the world.

Until next time, enjoy the adventure and Belay On!