Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Barkley & Sarah Mackin.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
We’re best friends who met in college and always dreamed of owning a business together. After becoming moms and feeling burned out in our corporate jobs, we knew we needed a creative outlet, something that felt meaningful and fun.
Kansas City holds a special place in our hearts and we love connecting with our local community, we’ve never aimed to be just a KC brand but the support we have received locally has been huge.
Our pajamas have been one of our biggest successes, customers rave about the softness, quality and prints so we’ve expanded that line, while still staying true to our love for creating unique clothing.
We both still work full-time jobs and pour our nights and weekends into building this dream, with the hope that one day it becomes our full-time work.
As we approach our one-year anniversary in December we’ve been truly blown away by the support, encouragement, and love from customers across the country. We can’t wait to see what year two brings!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not. At. All. This first year has been a string of ‘learning opportunities.’
We had to figure out everything from scratch, working with manufacturers, creating a website, navigating tariffs and becoming content creators because that’s such a big part of running an online boutique.
Quality has always mattered to us, which means we’ve pulled multiple pieces that didn’t meet our standards and fixed mistakes we never saw coming. One of our very first problems was a tiny typo on a design that ended up requiring someone to re-embroider shirts that were missing an apostrophe. We laugh about it now, but at the time it felt like a disaster.
It definitely hasn’t been smooth, but every misstep has taught us something important and helped shape the business we’re building.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Jackie Sue & Co. is a children’s brand. We create unique, timeless, high-quality pieces that are comfortable for everyday wear but special enough to create memories in.
Every piece we release is intentionally created/selected, which means we grow slowly and purposefully. We don’t rush seasonal designs or chase quick trends, we focus on quality, comfort, and styles that last.
What sets us apart is our attention to detail. We’re hands-on at every step: from fabric selections and print design to quality checks, and customer experience.
We’re moms who understand what other parents want, clothes that wash well, feel good on sensitive skin, and still make your little ones look adorable. We pour that understanding into every product decision we make.
We’re most proud of the brand we’ve built in such a short time, especially while working full-time jobs and raising young kids. Every order, review, and returning customer means the world to us.
We want readers to know that when they shop with us, they’re supporting two moms who care deeply about creating high-quality pieces and a joyful shopping experience. Whether it’s pajamas, everyday outfits, bows, or seasonal collections, everything we offer is designed with heart, purpose, and the families who wear our products in mind.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
The biggest thing for us is that we feel so lucky to have found each other. We constantly tell each other we don’t know how we would navigate life and motherhood without the other and now, getting to build a business together, there’s honestly nobody else we would rather do this with. On top of that, we feel incredibly lucky for our beautiful families. Our children who love watching us work, wearing our clothes, being our models and of course our husbands who are beyond supportive.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jackiesueandco.com
- Instagram: @jackiesueandco
- Facebook: @jackiesueandco
