Conversations with Jenny Svehlek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Svehlek.

Hi Jenny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I like to say this story started with a birthday gift, but honestly it began decades before that.

From the age, I could hold a crayon I was creating. I could draw, paint, and make crafty items. As I got a little older, family could count on receiving a homemade gift from me at Christmas time. I loved making something special and the joy on their face opening their gift knowing I had made it just for them.

Fast forward, and we find ourselves in March of 2020. For a lot of us, I think that’s where time just stood still. I was laid off from the job and career I loved and honestly spent months searching for meaning and trying to figure out who I was again.

I took a lot of comfort from our pup — we happened to rescue him right before lockdown. So, for my husband’s birthday last year, I resorted to what I do best. Making a small gift, just as a little something special for his birthday. I called up my friend and asked if she would help me make a dog bandana for my husband’s birthday with his college logo and colors because I thought he’d get a kick out of it and seeing our boy wearing it. I hadn’t sewn with a sewing machine since junior high school.

With Christmas soon approaching, I ultimately decided I was going to make items to sell — since I had already been doing this for years as gifts I gave away. While there were definitely tears– and a broken finger along the way, that was essentially how my business was born.

I’m a business that’s still growing but I strive to create something new everyday. And for a while, I was sewing every day to continue to improve on my skill and technique. I push, I grind, I post. I network. There’s no secret formula here. I want to see my business succeed and I’m 100% driven to do so. Some days are off days and I allow myself to feel those, then I come back, brush myself off, and continue on.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
(Laughs) Not hardly. I’ve always been a firm believer that doing what’s right is always going to be much harder than doing what’s easy (which is rarely right). I’ve kept this in the back of my head because it pushes me to do my best.

Honestly, my biggest struggle was just simply battling myself and battling my true passions versus who I was. That might sound meta, but it’s true. Even up to recently, I still found myself trying to hold onto the person I was before the pandemic. Thankfully, I have a good support system that helped me realize I’m not the same person — and that they helped encourage my business. Fighting against yourself, your heart, and having people that don’t support what you do is really hard. I’ve really had to learn to tune out those voices and negative thoughts and center myself around people that are going to encourage, support and love me no matter what.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
First off, I love to dabble. I started with dog bandanas and wood signs. Sewing has been a skill that I’ve constantly pushed myself on. From bandanas, I then taught myself: scrunchies, headbands, face masks, purses, dog leashes, collars, and am just starting to work on some applique. My next big challenge is going to be sewing a clothing item– just because I want to and can!

My brand has always encompassed cozy, rustic and plaid so I try to keep to that focus as much as I can. I still like to branch out though and add in some macrame dream catchers and wall art when I get tired of sewing.

I am generally recognized as a dog boutique! I make high-quality bandanas, leashes and collars that aren’t just pretty but durable too. I also am sought after for my bleached flannels — you can’t be The Plaid Badger and not have plaid flannel in there!

I’m proud of the new, creative ideas I’m able to come up with and when I learn and master a new skill. Every time I finish a project, it then becomes my new favorite.

I believe what sets me apart is the time, attention, and most importantly the JOY that comes out in my work. I think we put part of our hearts into the things we create and when you love what you are doing it always comes out in the finished work. I truly believe in doing what’s right and not what’s easy (I taught myself to macrame because I felt the purse I made *needed* that component to be right, cohesive and complete in design).

Any big plans?
Continuing to scale up, network, and become more visible.

I hope to launch a website at some point in the future. I’m currently doing a lot of pop-up events and craft shows which I really enjoy but am still considering how that fits into my big picture long term. So stay tuned on that.

I honestly am just looking forward to events I have down the road and seeing my business continue to grow. I believe by putting ourselves out there and being open to new ideas and experiences that our paths begin to organically develop.

Pricing:

• Dog Bandanas start at $10.00
• Hand Embroidered Bandanas $25.00
• Bleached Flannel Shirts $28.00

Contact Info:

• Email: plaidbadger.co@gmail.com
• Website: etsy.com/shop/theplaidbadger
• Instagram: instagram.com/theplaidbadger/
• Facebook: facebook.com/theplaidbadger