Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Shaltz Haslup.
Hi Carrie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The idea for Tabeeze was born from seeing my brother and sister struggle to do skin-to-skin feedings with their baby girl. They had to completely undress her, then re-dress her afterward, and the process was laborious for them and disruptive and uncomfortable for their baby. I offered to find a onesie that snaps at the shoulders for easier access, and I searched high and low for this. I was astonished that nothing existed in the sea of baby clothing options. I finally took the matter into the kitchen, quite literally, and deconstructed a traditional onesie with scissors. The first prototype for our Bottom-Up Bodysuit was born.
From there on, I knew this was something special. It would be a game-changer for parents and caregivers of babies struggling with traditional baby clothes.
It took me three years and numerous factories before I found the one that made my vision come to life. It is also essential that Tabeeze set a new standard for responsible and sustainable business practices in the baby clothing industry. We are proud to be 100% GOTS Certified Organic, a Certified B Corporation, Fair Trade Certified, and a 1% For The Planet member.
Although not originally designed to be adaptive, we started getting feedback from parents with medically complex babies who shared how amazing it is to have shoulder snaps to provide a fuss-free option for their little one. This inspired me to start our Sharing is Caring program, and we are proud to have worked with several NICUs and have donated over 4,000 of our Bottom-Up Bodysuits through our 1 to 1 donation program. Generosity is at the core of everything we do at Tabeeze, and this work with NICUs is one of the most important things to me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
All of it!
I started with something other than a background in baby clothing, e-commerce, or manufacturing. I am an architect with a photography background, so I had to learn every aspect of creating and running an e-commerce company from scratch. It was hard because often, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Because of our values (sustainability, environmentally friendly, social justice), I had to educate myself on the proper certifications and how they aligned with Tabeeze. Given this, I was very thoughtful and selective about which paths to go down from a manufacturing standpoint. Some info out there is BS, and there’s a lot of ‘greenwashing.’
Finding the right manufacturing partner who is communicative and timely and who aligns with your goals and mission is critical. They need to understand and care about your product instead of just producing blindly.
And then, of course, there’s work-life balance, but I’m also a self-proclaimed workaholic. I’m good at managing my time, but it’s difficult to turn off your brain when it’s your business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Tabeeze?
I am the Founder, CEO, and designer of Tabeeze.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
You have to honestly believe in what you’re doing while not being afraid to surround yourself with people who have done it before and can give you good advice. It can be as simple as sending up a flare and saying, ‘Hey, does anyone know anyone with experience in X, Y, or Z?’. I found that is the best way to find the people who will help you because they care and not just because they are paid.
Find an excellent devil’s advocate who will ask productive questions that will open you up to think through your ideas and do it differently than you had initially imagined. You want them to poke holes in your plan productively to open you up to different possibilities. My dad is a devil’s advocate. My childhood best friend is a devil’s advocate.
For example, I wanted to order 10k units, and someone said, ‘Where are you going to store them?” I realized I hadn’t thought of that and needed to adjust my order.
Some advice for budget! Whatever your budget is – triple it, add 30%, and then add $300 (cash). It’s my rule of 3’s. There will always be something you didn’t know you needed or last-minute additions. You never know what kind of favor or extra thing you will need.
Also, join networks like Dreamers + Doers, Female Founders Collective, and Entreprenista. It’s always good to surround yourself with people who can help and connect you to others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tabeeze.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabeeze/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TabeezeBabyBodysuit/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-shaltz-haslup-1b885b33
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Robyn Shinn Additional Photos: Kiana Schriever
