STICHES OF INSPIRATION

When she was 12 years old, Linda used a sewing machine for the first time. She was at school, and her home economics teacher immediately noticed her innate talent, encouraging her to continue. That same day, Linda went home and asked her parents for a sewing machine for Christmas, “the Sears Kenmore model 1040,” Linda described fondly. By high school, she was sewing her own outfits, using the fabrics she bought from her weekly trips to the fabric store with her father. Her father, was Linda’s mentor and source of inspiration, finding the most difficult sewing instructions to show his daughter that no task was too challenging for her to complete. “He showed me that there will always be obstacles that you can overcome.”

It wasn’t until her 40’s that Linda began looking to sewing as more than a hobby. At the time, Linda had changed her career to become a stay-at-home mother, forcing her to look for a way to make an income from home. She began Custom Alterations by Linda, where she sewed from her home in Yuley, Florida, for residents in the surrounding area. The positive response was immediate: “people just started coming.”

A NEW CITY WITH NEW SUPPORT

When Linda and her family moved to Jacksonville because of her husband’s job relocation, the change of city posed new obstacles for Linda’s business. While Yuley was a small town of familiar faces, the spread-out geography of Jacksonville made it challenging for Linda to find clients. Yet Linda had been taught from an early age that there was no problem too difficult to solve. She decided her business would now be mobile: rather than have her clients come to her home, Linda would drive to them, making the service even more convenient.

While Linda wanted to spread the word about her business, she lacked the sufficient capital, and needed a little extra financial support to get her started. She heard about Ascendus while attending a Small Business Summit in Jacksonville and reached out. Linda received a loan, which she used for marketing, including a sign for her van and a commercial for her website. However, it was not only the loan that helped Linda get back on her feet, but the guidance she received as well. “It was the business advice that was so solid and useful. I chose Ascendus because of the support system that came with them.” Today, Linda is also working with a strategist who she found through Ascendus to advertise her company and attract clients.

With her new business layout underway, Linda shows no signs of slowing down. “What I love about being an entrepreneur is that I don’t need to stop working until I’m ready.” While her passion for sewing has already served her with decades of cherished memories, Linda has proven that there will always be new memories ahead.