Thread Wallets

A while back, we introduced our followers to the creators of Thread Wallets. A lot has changed since that post, so we thought it would be fun to sit down with the people behind our favorite product and get to know a bit about who they are and why they love what they do.

Q: Why did you guys start Thread Wallets?

Colby: A few years ago, I had to put together a Kickstarter campaign for a class I was taking at Brigham Young University. I noticed that as a product, wallets perform really well on Kickstarter. The only problem was, there seemed to be a lack of fun patterns and designs. Most were boring. I figured it was time to change that!

Q: Have you guys been working together since the beginning?

McKenzie: Yes! We started dating right around the time Colby was taking this class. I helped him sew the first prototype.

Q: Do you guys enjoy working together?

McKenzie: Absolutely! There is nothing better than being married to your business partner. It may not work for everyone but it is all we have known. It’s so fun to be able to bounce ideas off each other and to be able to have the same goals and schedule. With a new baby, it’s been so helpful to be able to work from home and trade off baby duties.

Colby: It really is the best. It’s so nice to have the support of your spouse. Entrepreneurship is such a passion of mine, it would be so weird if McKenzie didn’t understand or wasn’t a part of what I am passionate about.

Q: You said you just had a baby! How do you balance work and family life?

Colby: It’s definitely been an adjustment but that’s the benefit of owning your own company. We can work in the mornings, take a break if we need to and then get back to work when our baby is napping or at night once she has gone to sleep.

McKenzie: I think it’s all about being patient and learning to be flexible. You have to be able to roll with the punches but also make the sacrifices that allow you to get everything done that you need to. For instance, I am not a morning person in the slightest but I’ve been getting up early around 6:00 am to get my day started. It makes a world of difference when you try to be organized and talk about your to-do list before hand.

Q: What’s the best part about owning your own company?

Colby: The flexibility and freedom it allows us — not just with our time but also our creativity. We can work from almost anywhere and we can do whatever we want. Instead of being stuck in a cubicle for 8 hours a day, we can have our work meetings while taking our baby for a walk and instead of being stuck doing the same task every sing day, we can develop new talents and skills that help our business.

McKenzie: For instance, I knew nothing about marketing or Photoshop before we started Thread Wallets but now I feel pretty confident in both areas (at least with the basics). It’s awesome to create something every day that you can be proud of. I love seeing people use our product or read reviews about how the product has simplified their life or helped them be more organized. It sounds cheesy, but that’s the best!

Q: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start their own venture?

Colby: Don’t wait! If you wait for your idea to feel complete or perfect, you’ll never start. You have to be willing to adapt anyway so why not just get your idea out there and see if it starts. Also, don’t put off organizing your accounting!

McKenzie: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! In today’s world, it seems like almost everyone has an idea and many of them don’t know where to go to get it started or who to ask. There are so many resources available and people who are always willing to give advice or direction. If anyone reading this wants to talk to us, shoot us an email! We always love talking business.

Q: What does the future look like for Thread Wallets?

Colby: One of the best pieces of business advice I ever heard was to pick a niche and stick with it. We are planning on keeping Thread Wallets very niche with wallets right now and hope to dominate that category. You see companies like Stance Socks, Nixon Watches, or Skull Candy Headphones and although they have branched out now, they made a name for themselves by being the best at one thing. There hasn’t been too much innovation or creativity in the wallet accessory category over the years and so we want to be the brand that changes that.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?

McKenzie: We’d still consider ourselves a very young company. We don’t know it all and never want to come off that way but we love helping other entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs. We’re always just an email away. Also, as a young company, honest feedback is so helpful for us as we move forward with new products and improving upon old products. Never hesitate to let us know if something is or isn’t working for you!

If you want to know more about Colby and McKenzie, read their story here.

If you have any questions for them or want to get in touch, leave a comment below!