St. Michael Mom Starts Small Business with Headbands

St. Michael mom Jan Parkin, didn't intend on going into business when she started sewing headbands for her daughter, Halle. She saw a way to make something better, and took matters into her own hands.

Now, however, Jan's handy bands are in high demand.

"Halle had a hard time with different headbands, she'd really want to wear them but would come home from school with headaches," Parkin said. "I started playing around with fabric and made these wide band headbands."

Some of Parkin's neighbors liked her handiwork, and were soon buying them from her. They also encouraged her to go into business.

"I did a couple shows and started getting some requests," she said.

Now Parkin orders special fabrics from New York, sews about 200 headbands a week and is running an online etsy shop.

"I'm almost to 1,000 sales and receiving inquiries all the time. I just received my first wholesale inquiry," she said.

That's a huge jump in just a few months.

In addition to online, Parkin also sells her Halle Bands at InFit in Albertville and Something Savvy in Buffalo, in addition to some other metro retail locations. She also goes to various shows throughout the year and will be at the St. Michael Women of Today Craft Show on November 19.

"All of my kids help out. Halle has even sewn one," Parkin said. "It's been neat to show them how running a small business works."

Her husband, Wade, is also very supportive. "He's our strategic guy and comes up with lots of great ideas!"

Everything for the headbands is done at home, with her mother-in-law helping with the fabric cutting. Parkin estimates that she sews close to 200 headbands a week. Then her neighbor, Holly Roos, models them for her.

The stretchy headbands are 95 percent spandex and machine washable.

"People really love them for working out," she said.

Her future plans include expanding to sell the headbands in other retail locations, continuing to help with fundraising and school events and even doing some wholesale orders.

"Etsy has been a great venue, and a friend of mine in Florida is helping sell them there," she said.

Parkin also offers Halle Bands as a fundraiser for St. Michael Elementary with 20 percent of the proceeds going back to the school PTO.

"I'm having a lot of fun with it, while staying home and even involving my kids. It's been great!"