Meet Your Maker- Sweet Sips

This week on MYM we have Maddi from Sweet Sips. Maddie makes adorable sassy mugs! I am sure you will see one instantly that you #need asap!!!!!

Introduce yourself and your business.

My name is Maddi Barker, I am the owner of Sweet Sips which is a Canadian owned brand. I design mugs that are cheeky, sassy and often offside!

How did you launch your business & what made you want to start a small business? 

Sweet Sips was launched in 2015. I was a new mom to twin girls and looking for an outlet to keep me creative while I was on maternity leave. So I paired together my two favourite things… Coffee and graphic design. 

Many of our mugs are for the Mom that does it all (so pretty much every Mom out there!) and likes to look stylish while doing it. The playful sayings and the bright design adds a punch of colour to otherwise dreary mornings. After a long night up with the kiddos I want my customers to grab that first cup of coffee and smile when they grab their favourite mug. 

In the first few years Sweet Sips mugs focused mainly on the #momlife sayings. Now almost in our fifth year we not only focuses on Mom, but also Dad, Grandparents, and Godparents, as well as seasonal designs as well. New designs are being launched all the time so there is something for everyone. 

What are some struggles you had starting your business and how did you over come them?

I find every day being a mom and a small business owner I struggle to find balance. I struggle to keep the house in order, my business in order and myself in order. There only seems to be so much time in the day. I also tend to get overwhelmed easily but what I've found that works best for me is keeping lists and trying to just check one thing off at a time and working to the next item. 

Where do you draw inspiration from? 

I definitely draw my inspiration from my life with my girls and my group of Mom friends. A lot of my mugs are very cheeky and offside and sometime just that little giggle gets you going in the morning after a rough night!  

What motivates you as a maker? 

My family! I love when my girls play and they pretend that they have to "work on mugs" I may not be making millions of dollars but I am setting an good example for my girls that they can do anything they want! 

What is a goal you set for yourself as a maker/artist and how did you achieve it? 

In late 2018 I left the Corporate world to work on Sweet Sips full time. It was the toughest decision I've ever made. But I was unhappy at my job and I could see the effects on my children. I knew being able to work from home would make our life much easier and made me such a better worker and mother. One of my major goals was to have a couple wholesale customers. It happened quite quickly and in February of 2019 I got my first wholesale order and received many more thought out the year. In 2020 I would love to add more wholesalers to share my love for mugs with other businesses all across Canada.

What is your favorite part of being a maker? 

Getting to be apart of a tremendously supportive group of other woman who also own a small business, that I may not even have in person! My "Instagram Friends" are honestly almost a larger part of my life than some of my actual friends. If you aren't a business owner sometimes you don't understand others struggles and I find I can always go to any of them with questions and someone is always willing to lend some support and suggestions! 

Do you have any tips for new makers/ small business owners?

 Don't loose your fire, find your tribe and always ask for help if you need it! I have such a supportive husband who knows when I'm feeling under pressure and he either turns on Dad Mode hardcore so I can work without any distractions or he helps me in the shop filling orders! 

What are some hobbies or interests you have outside of your small business?

 I love party planning and decorating. Anything being creative really! Being outdoors and going on Adventures with my family too! 

Share a fun fact about yourself. 

I am a girl mom! I have twin girls Layla and Brooklyn who are turning 6 in May and my youngest Callie will be 4 in February!