Wee Blessing, launched by Alicia Werle, offers an easier way to shop for the mom-on-the-go, the expecting mom or the mom that just can’t leave the house right after a newborn. From newborns to 14-year-olds, they’ve got you covered! Your child will receive a customized box tailored to their taste, age, budget and lifestyle. Your Wee Blessings package will contain 4 outfits personally styled based on your online style profile and has a wide range of brands from Disney, Polo, Nike, Sperry to 7 for all Mankind and more! No catch! Keep what you like and return what you don’t want for FREE.
HBM: Please share your story. What were you involved in prior to launching a business?
Werle: “Wee Blessing has become such an amazing dream come true. I have a Bachelor and Master’s Degree both in the legal field which ironically has nothing to do with children’s fashion. I also spent 15 years working in an outside executive sales position for a well-known worldwide company. All of that changed the second that I had a great idea in my heart that called me to do something great and be a blessing to others. My entire team and I are so excited about where we started and where this journey is taking us.”
HBM: What inspired you to launch your own business?
Werle: “I have never really been the entrepreneurial-type, but I am so thankful that I stepped out of my comfort zone to start Wee Blessing. Moms these days are crazy busy and just do not have enough hours in the day to get the things accomplished that we need to. Being a working mom of 2 young children and pretty much the busiest person I know, I quickly realized that other moms must deal with the same struggles that I do every single day. Trying to gather up the kids and get everything loaded up in the car to go shopping was always so frustrating and time consuming. Not to mention trying to get things on sale and at the best possible prices exactly when you need them. I just decided one day that there had to be a better way and more importantly, a way to allow parents to spend that much-needed time with their children. Time is so precious and it goes by so quickly. I wanted to offer moms and dads a way to bring the fashion show straight to their door and at the same time, create memories with their child that they will both remember for the rest of their lives. From there, Wee Blessing was created.”
HBM: How did you get your start?
Werle: “Wee Blessing is a family-owed business that was launched in July 2015. The first few months we spent most of our time reaching out to mommy bloggers/influencers and going to as many children’s trade shows in Georgia and our surrounding states as we could. Finally, in November 2015 we began shipping our first ‘blessings’ to excited moms, dads and grandparents all over the country. Funny enough almost every one of our very first customers are still receiving regular monthly or quarterly blessings from us today, almost 2 years later. It has been long and chaotic 21 months with lots of ups and downs, but nothing worth having comes easy. It takes hard work and dedication every single day. We are so thankful to all of our parents and grandparents that trust us to style their loved ones. We are so blessed to have them as part of our family and are even more excited to see what the future holds.”
HBM: What are your strategies for managing your company?
Werle: “Change is constant in this line of work from technology, to the ever-growing updates in fashion trends, to new brands on the rise. To be honest we will change as our business grows, therefore managing it will be the same way. Our number one goal is and will always be to be a blessing to busy parents and grandparents out there. We want to give them the most important thing of all back…their time. Time to make memories with their children. Sometimes it is the little blessings in life that makes all the difference in the world.”
HBM: How do you balance being a mom while running a successful business?
Werle: “I love this question… I still have not figured this part out yet! 🙂 Working 60-80 hours every week and being finished with work in time to make dinner, give the kids baths, do homework and read them a bed time story, has proven to be a challenge on some days. To be honest, my “to do” list does not get completely accomplished most days, but you just have to be flexible and know that tomorrow is a new day. Not to mention that I always somehow end up volunteering to be “room mom” for my daughter Sarah (6) and son Cameron (2) at school. Can you see a pattern here? 🙂 Being a mom is my number one priority and I try my best to have my kids come first. There are lots of late nights working once the kids finally go to bed and early mornings before they get up, but it is so worth it.”
HBM: What are some hurdles you overcame?
Werle: “The biggest challenge has been trying to get things done, that normally would take a staff of 20 to 25 full time people to do. Despite being understaffed, my entire team works very hard and is very diligent in making sure that each and every one of our customers feel like they are family. We are so excited for the memories that we are helping to create.”
HBM: How do you handle working from home?
Werle: “I absolutely love being able to work from home. It allows the flexibility when needed and I just get more done than I did being in an outside office environment. The only time it has been a challenge is during the summer when the kids are home from school, but that is to be expected and we make it work!”
HBM: Do you have advice for other entrepreneurs looking to start a family-owned business?
Werle: “Absolutely. Trust your instincts and take a step of faith. It is scary at first, but will be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Being able to leave a legacy for your children and to know that you helped create something great is an amazing feeling.”
HBM: Where do you see your company in three years?
Werle: “I am happy to be along for the ride. We are thrilled to share with you that we have expanded our Wee Blessing offerings. In October 2017, we began styling women, which included both plus sizes and maternity. The great news is that we offer the same 40-60 percent off retail pricing for our adult family members as we do for our children. We will be adding additional services in 2019 which is also exciting! It’s going to be an amazing 3 years and I cannot wait to see what stories we have to share when we get there!”
