Small Town Style

Katie Bennett discovered her passion for creating t-shirt designs when she received a tool that helped her with these creations. News of her talent spread quickly among her friends, leading to an increase in order requests. To meet the growing demand, Katie established a limited liability company (LLC) called Small Town Style and invested in additional equipment. Before long, sales increased, and she was incredibly busy. Katie recognized the opportunity her business provided, “I saw the potential of a flexible job that could meet the needs of my family without sacrificing precious time with my kids. So I took another leap and quit my day job to jump full-time into my new business!” Small Town Style specializes in custom apparel designs for local individuals and groups. Her online storefront and fundraising partnerships allow her to reach a wider audience. Small Town Style is a testament to Katie's entrepreneurial drive and commitment to creating unique and personalized products that bring joy to her customers. Katie’s Experience with East Central Indiana SBDC Katie needed more business experience in her early days, so a friend suggested consulting a small business expert. This recommendation led her to discover the East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) where she connected with Business Advisor James Womack. “I was so thankful to connect with someone knowledgeable about business and my particular community who could help me fine-tune what I had launched without a plan, “ Katie stated. “The ISBDC has been a business-minded sounding board for me as I have worked through the logistics and challenges of building a lucrative business that suited the needs of my family and the communities I serve.” With James’s guidance, Katie discovered her unique strengths and offerings that larger corporations often struggle to provide. This perspective has allowed her to focus on activities that resonate with her business objectives and personal values. Through her ongoing consultations with James, her business has experienced remarkable growth. In just over a year, she transitioned from barely covering expenses to achieving consecutive months of over $10,000 in sales. To meet the increasing demand, Katie hired a part-time assistant. Katie shared, “Taking leaps of faith in building a business can be both scary and exhilarating but having a resource like the SBDC helps mitigate a lot of the risk by interjecting solid business knowledge and skills into the heart that drives the dream of the business. I am so thankful for support like the ISBDC!” Small Town Style can be found on Facebook. Visit Small Town Style's online store at https://smalltownstyle.launchcart.store/shop.