Description

Today’s guest is Mary Lynn Schroder, the founder of In Blue Handmade, a leather and waxed canvas goods business out of Asheville, NC. In Blue Handmade has sold over 90,000 items and has a partnership with Feeding America, where they’re able to donate 50 meals for each bag sold. Mary Lynn chats with Christine about leaving her job in the music industry and finding her passion for sewing, which then evolved into working with leather. They talk about surpassing her earliest vision for In Blue Handmade, having her father as a mentor, the experience of growing her operation, and finding suppliers who share her value system.

Mary Lynn tells Christine how she came to partner with Feeding America in 2019, and decided to give back on a bigger scale once the pandemic began. She details her experience working with their philanthropic department to develop a give back model that incorporated every item sold, and how this endeavor has inspired her amazing team more than ever. They discuss the important work that Feeding America is doing to address food disparity in this country, how customers can harness their purchasing power to support small businesses who also give back, and Mary Lynn’s undeniable passion for designing and creating.

Mary Lynn encourages new entrepreneurs to build a business plan that is unique to their strengths, recognize where they need help, and delegate accordingly. You’ll also hear about relating to customers on a personal level, Mary Lynn’s work with Trauma Textiles to help Indigeneous female artisans in Central America to receive a fair wage, and what’s next for In Blue Handmade. To learn more about Mary Lynn’s inspiring story of giving back while doing what she loves, visit InBlueHandmade.com.

For more information, and other episodes on companies and entrepreneurs who give back, please visit TheGiveBackModel.com. That’s where you can also let Christine know about companies you’ve found that give back, and check out The Give Back Model merchandise, where $5 for every hoodie sold goes to charity. Thanks for listening!

Episode Highlights:

• ● In Blue Handmade is a leather and waxed canvas goods business in Asheville, NC
• ● They have sold over 90,000 items
• ● They have a partnership with Feeding America where they donate 50 meals for each bag
• sold
• ● Business was launched in 2008 after Mary Lynn moved from Chicago and left her job in
• the music industry
• ● She began sewing and making her own curtains - this evolved into working with leather
• ● She is self-taught
• ● She now has a 6500 square foot warehouse and 10 full-time employees
• ● In 2011, Mary Lynn’s goal was to sell 5,000 items on Etsy within the next 10 years - they
• have sold 90,000
• ● Her father works for the University of Illinois and is Mary Lynn’s business mentor
• ● Initially Mary Lynn only used recycled materials, but made the leap to creating
• consistent relationships with suppliers who shared the same values

• ● It’s a building process as you go, and knowing your trade inside out is hugely beneficial
• ● In Blue Handmade partnered with Feeding America in 2019
• ● COVID motivated Mary Lynn to kick up their contribution
• ● They worked with Feeding America’s philanthropic department to create a give back
• model that incorporated every item sold
• ● One in seven people face hunger, and one in six children face hunger
• ● Having a culture of giving back is very motivating for Mary Lynn’s team
• ● COVID has inspired Mary Lynn to design new items with a more utilitarian purpose
• ● They’re donating at least 50 meals for every item sold
• ● Feeding America story about Lamont,...