Inspiring Conversations with Brandi Donato of Casually Little

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Donato.

Hi Brandi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2016, we welcomed our first child & like many new moms, shopping for clothing was something I truly enjoyed as part of the process. I found myself scouring the internet for long hours, trying to find infant boy clothing without dinos, trucks or loud colors. When I did find a website that offered something of interest, I couldn’t bring myself to spend $40 or more on something he would only wear a couple of times – I mean, we know how fast they grow!

At the time, I was working at a corporate medical device company managing the inside sales accounts and told my husband I would love to own my own clothing business that offered curated goods at affordable prices. However, as a full-time working parent, I was responsible for half of our income & our new mortgage. The risk was high and I felt overwhelmed with what that weight would feel like on our shoulders.

We welcomed our second child in 2018 and the shopping was an even greater joy – girl clothing! Girl clothing was much easier to find. However, I found myself still having trouble finding pieces similar to my wardrobe. Trendy & neutral.

Fast forward to 2021, our company was purchased by a larger medical device corporation who operates out of Tennessee & North Carolina. Like many new acquisitions, changes would take place. The company offered the existing team the option to move to Tennessee and keep our roles. However, after looking deeper into the transition, I felt my family & our current situation would not be the right fit. So, layoffs – the word makes anyone with responsibilities cringe. We were very lucky enough to find out our roles would be eliminated at that location six months in advance. Although educated & experienced, I felt nervous going back into the job search world after seven years. I had so many more job expectations necessary to be met with two kids and a mortgage. Before I could begin my search, my husband looked at me and said, “You have talked about owning your own kid’s clothing business for five years. This corporate door is closing for you because another one is opening.” I cried with both happiness and fear that night. The dream becoming a reality was truly one of the moments in my life I will never take for granted.

Still working full-time, weekends & nights consisted of research & all the necessary first steps to starting a business. I needed a name for the company and went through so many options, opinions from family and friends. Casually Little – trendy, affordable children’s clothing. Sizes newborn – 6/7 years. Within a few months, merchandise was arriving at our doorstep. We needed a place to store the clothing. We moved our kids to one room & transformed the second bedroom into our warehouse/office.

My last day working for my corporate job was the last day of 2021. We launched Casually Little in February 2022. With the overwhelming support of our family and friends, our launch day was a huge success. Along with internet sales, we started to enter the SoCal space by attending pop-up boutiques. From Orange County to Santa Clarita, our event attendance is announced on our Instagram. Giving our shoppers a chance to see the products & shop in person. The visual setup & in-person shopping continues to be my favorite part of the entire process. Bringing back my ten years of retail experience full circle.

Today my husband is still a huge help in all things business. Family & friends are gracious enough to offer their children as models alongside our own. We are so very thankful for the continued growth & support this last year. We look forward to continuing to learn and expand.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We would love to say there are no hiccups or struggles but I think starting a business is all about learning and growth.

Our biggest struggle is with continued rising economic costs, finding manufacturing that meets our quality expectations yet still able to offer our customers affordable pricing.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Casually Little?
Our goal today is to provide quality, thoughtfully curated, trendy clothing & accessories for your littles. Everything in our shop is UNDER $30!!! Our goal in the future is to give back to our community & provide Santa Clarita homeless families with these same goods.

Our community receives the perk that sets us apart from other businesses. We offer most zip codes in the Santa Clarita Valley 1-2 business day local delivery on purchases over $20. As a mom of 2, sometimes we need things Amazon fast & we recognize that.

Everything at casually little is curated and sourced by me. Photoshoots, social media, website design & communication are also yours truly! I package & deliver/mail the orders. Occasionally, my husband will deliver as well!

We take pride in making sure our customers are happy and are so proud to say we love to make things right if they’re not! We also want our littles to be excited to see our packages arrive and have created our shipment packaging as “happy mail” with our signature smiley designs. Each order includes a casually little coloring page I design for your little, which you may personalize with your child’s name. Just add their name in your order notes!

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
We currently use Shopify, Canva & Instagram to run our marketing and business.

Pricing:

• Everything in our shop is under $30

Contact Info:

• Website: www.casuallylittle.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casuallylittle/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casuallylittle