Today we’d like to introduce you to Doris Amstutz.
Hi Doris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Since I am now in what I call the “fourth quarter” my story is a long one, but I will summarize it into just the Cliff Notes. I started and remain at heart just a small town girl from Northwest Ohio. My journey to Texas took me on a path through Southern California and a century spent in the software industry when Bill Gates was still working out of his garage. During that time, my daughter was on her own journey but chose to settle here in Cypress,Texas. When retirement came the economic differences between California and Texas and the proximity to family made the choice simple. Well that covers the first two plus quarters of my life, now comes the fun third and exciting fourth quarter. Not being one to just sit around, I decided to reinvent myself, or to put it into Little Bird Product terms I upcycled, repurposed, and got creative with my life. When I pulled out my old sewing machine to make curtains for our retirement home, little did I know that the blue bird watching me through my craft room window would inspire me to start a small business using my creative upcycled sewing skills. My focus and products have changed and grown over this past decade. I am proud to say that I have many happy repeat customers through my craft shows, my Etsy shop, “Littlebirdproductset” and friends. Moving into my fourth quarter, I am still doing the upcycling I love making “altered couture” and embroidering childrens book pillows, but my focus heading down the home stretch is sharing what I have built and learned along the way. I have a wonderful sewing protege who now has her own Etsy shop, TheHouseOfUpcycle, and who helps me continue to do my craft shows. I am also building a following on YouTube https://youtube.com/@dorisamstutz5888
For more about me feel free to visit my Etsy shop and subscribe to my channel to watch my videos.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with any small business, some of the struggles included how do I make this business viable for the long run? Combining what I love doing and being focused on what customers love to buy is not always easy. And given that I am in the fourth quarter how can I pass along what I have learned and help others. That is the legacy I would like to leave. Not money, but knowledge will hopefully be what exists after I am gone.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in two products.
The first is my childrens embroidered book pocket pillows. These support my love of reading and the importance it has for a child as they grow up. I like to think that these pillows become a meaningful part of a child’s life. When you see one of these pillow being taken by a child on their vacation trips, having pride of place on their childhood bed, and then taken with them to college to sit on their dorm room bed there is no better feeling.
The second is my one of a kind altered couture. This is really a broad category that my upcycled clothing encompasses. There is so much waste in the fashion industry that is having a devastating impact on our environment. In my small way, I am using my business to have a positive impact by giving clothing and vintage textiles a new life. Just as I have reinvented myself, I am reinventing clothing and linens into something new and special with Little Bird Products.
I think that with both of the above my creativity and eye for detail set my business apart.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t really think of myself as a risk taker, but looking back over the years every success was precipitated by a big risk. I will try to summarize them below.
While having a young child and being newly married do I safely keep working at Krogers or do I put in the long hours of night school after working all day to get a college degree? This was a risk worth taking as I used my bachelors degree to lay the groundwork for a career shift and acquiring an MBA as well as a CPA.
After college, do I keep my safe job making decent money or use that degree and take a new job with a small software startup? This was a major pivot point for me where I had to step back from looking at a jobs compensation in order to start a professional career.
After seven years at the small company do I take a leap of faith and move my family to Southern California into the heart of the software industry? This was a giant leap out of the familiar surroundings and into the “big time.”
After retirement and the move to Texas, do I go back into the workforce as a consultant, do I enjoy retirement leisure, or do I start a business of my heart crafting and creating? I am following my heart with Little Bird Products, unleashing my creativity, while using all of the skills and knowledge I have accumulated in order to move happily and successfully into this fourth quarter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.littlebirdproducts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dorisamstutz?igsh=MWl5OG85MGNwY3l2dg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Littlebirdproductset
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dorisamstutz5888?si=Zmql-pNi3aHT-FZK
