Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Wike-McClure
Hi Melissa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began daydreaming during the peak of the pandemic when I was feeling incredibly bored. I’d bought a Cricut a few months earlier but hadn’t used it yet. I spent a lot of time shopping on Amazon and Etsy, and endlessly scrolling through social media. While Googling “Small Business Cricut,” I came across many ideas, but two that particularly caught my attention were stickers and vinyl stickers. I already had some Cricut Premium Vinyl at home, so I ordered sticker paper from Amazon.
Every night, while my parents were asleep, I would immerse myself in designing. I was determined to create things that I genuinely enjoyed. At that time, I was obsessed with BTS and eagerly anticipating their upcoming “Map of the Soul Tour.” I envisioned attending the tour with my best friend and decided I wanted to make stickers, mason jars, and journals themed around the event.
I bought an iPad, and since faceless artwork was trendy, I tried recreating BTS members’ faces into stickers. However, I soon realized it felt a bit off and my skills weren’t quite there. I shifted to making stickers but found they weren’t items I’d personally buy. Inspired by the popularity of Starbucks cup designs, I figured instead of designing tumblers I wouldn’t use, why not make BTS-themed mason jars with vinyl.
Once I settled on creating BTS mason jars, I set up an Etsy shop and opened a USPS mailing box. I listed about nine products with simple photos. After finally sharing my new venture with my parents—despite feeling a bit embarrassed but optimistic—their enthusiastic support boosted my confidence. They even started suggesting additional BTS-themed products I could offer.
I launched my shop on November 20, 2020, featuring BTS-inspired mason jars and ornaments. My first order came through on Black Friday, right as I was in the middle of taking product photos. By early December 2020, I expanded my offerings to include BTS Christmas pet bandanas because I am obsessed with my dogs. My grandmother sewed the bandanas at home, and I designed BTS-inspired graphics to iron onto them.
Encouraged by my friends, I decided to join TikTok, as many small businesses were finding success there. At first, I wasn’t too serious about it—I mostly posted random content. I continued creating pet bandanas, and although my videos initially got few views, I knew persistence was key.
One day, I posted a non-aesthetic video featuring our Mikrokosmos-inspired BTS pet bandana, and my phone started vibrating incessantly. Confused, I saw that fans from around the world were commenting and buying the bandana. I had gone viral!
Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with orders. I worked during the day and stayed up all night fulfilling them, even waking up early to make more Mikrokosmos pet bandanas before heading to work.
To this day, our BTS Mikrokosmos pet bandana remains our top seller. Since then, I’ve expanded our offerings to include designs for other K-pop boy bands like Stray Kids and Ateez, among many others. We’ve surpassed 1,000 sales, and I release new K-pop pet bandanas every other month.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Sometimes, it’s hard to shake off negative thoughts when my business experiences slow periods, like going 3-5 days without sales. I’ve learned that these gaps are just part of the process. When I’m not packing orders, I focus on designing new collections and preparing for the holiday season.
Another ongoing challenge for me is time management. It’s something I struggle with daily, especially during the holiday season when demand is highest and stock is often lacking. To help stay accountable, I’ve started going live on TikTok while making pet bandanas.
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?
We make K-POP inspired pet bandanas and ornaments on Etsy. Mood: Daydreaming is special in that we want to foster a community along with our business. We have two great passions at Mood: Daydreaming: our love for our furry best friends and our passion for K-pop. When we get customers talking to us about their passion for K-Pop, it’s the best part of the business. It fills our passion for the shop when we meet customers at a cup sleeve event or get repeat customers, we know we are in the right community.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
K-POP is only growing in popularity and the millennial generation and younger are obsessed with their pets. I see our business growing beyond Etsy where I would have an independent marketplace.
Pricing:
- Pet Bandanas $10
- Ornaments $10
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mooddaydreaming.etsy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mooddaydreaming/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mooddaydreaming
