Opening a small business of your own can be challenging and sometimes risky. Amber Hodges, of Harrisville, and owner of the AJASSEMBLY, learned that it was the perfect distraction to keep her mind occupied. She was dealing with the issue of not being able to have a second child, which became all encompassing. After over a year with no success, she became frustrated and sad. “I then began to create accessories for myself and my son. I figured if I got my creative juices flowing, I would feel better.”
Soon after, she was receiving a lot of comments and questions about the stuff she wore. “One lady even bought a wrap right off my head! From there, I decided to open an online shop, and soon after the business took off! About a year later, we learned we were expecting another baby!”
The AJASSEMBLY sells head wraps, flower halo crowns, earrings, scrunchies, essential oil bags, hair-ties & bow-ties. Products range in price from $2.99-$40.00. The most popular items are the head wraps and bow-ties. Amber quips, “I can’t keep anything in stock that has a pineapple on it!”
Her company has sold to customers all over the world, including: Australia, Sweden, Germany, England, Canada, France and throughout the United States. When asked what keeps her going, she responded by saying, “Positive feedback is super motivating to me and so are custom requests!”
When asked from whom did she learn to sew and develop her talents, Amber responded with, “I watched my Mom sew and I had a basic knowledge of what to do. I also took home economics in Jr. High School. Overall, I think I taught myself.”
During the recent 2015 Christmas season, she was able to participate in several fundraisers and events such as Give Back to Jack Boutique & the Christmas Tree Jubilee.
If you’re interested in browsing the items listed for sale from the AJASSEMBLY go to her etsy shop at www.ajassembly.etsy.com or Instagram @the.aj.assembly. She loves custom orders— “They make me feel awesome!”
