Today we’d like to introduce you to Meagan Morris.
Hi Meagan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a child, while growing up in Tomball, Texas, near Houston, Meagan Adair Morris always had a flair for the arts and an eye for creativity. As a young adult, some unexpected opportunities in her first job out of high school propelled her art appreciation to a whole new level.
Morris was working as a personal assistant for a local business, and was asked to create a display ad, as well as a party invitation. The initial projects were successful, and soon thereafter, Morris created designs for her friends and brought in extra income via Etsy for the budding artist-entrepreneur.
Little did she know that this “side gig” bridal party design business was soon to bloom like the florals in a bride’s bouquet.
Her breakthrough came at a bridal show when her best-selling design was on a koozie that people could purchase and give out as a guest gift. Soon, Morris’ invitation design business took a back seat to the ever-popular commemorative Koozies. She quit her full-time corporate position to start her company, Sip Hip Hooray, in 2011. It is now the No. 1 wedding Koozie design printing company in the country, but has blossomed into so much more, including original artwork-based creations and bespoke, hard-to-source gifts from around the world.
“It’s serendipitous how it all happened,” said Sip Hip Hooray founder, Meagan Morris. “While working a side-project for a couple of entrepreneurs, my passion for art, celebrations, and beautiful design came together and propelled us to—a decade later—innovate as well and become a global business.”
Morris’ innovative spirit shines brightly enough to put a spotlight not just on her company, but fellow local, regional Greater Houston businesses. This year, Sip Hip Hooray expanded beyond its e-commerce model to establish a local storefront, which has become both a local favorite and a sought-after destination for visitors who flock to the “old town” emporium-meets-modern-design experience.
Morris has melded her global arts and luxury gifting expertise with the classic, Main Street “dine, shop, and be enjoy” experience via her community-focused “Sip-and-Stroll” events, conceived by Morris to help uplift her fellow area shops, cafes, and the local economy.
“A rising tide lifts all ships, and during our unique expansion — during the height of COVID shutdowns — from e-commerce to the local brick-and-mortar boutique and creative space opening, our goal was to support our neighbors who were rooted in and new to the local community and economy,” said Morris.
Morris and her husband, Sip Hip Hooray COO, Luke Morris, partner with fifteen, local, full-time employees to manage both the global-digital marketplace and brick-and-mortar spaces, including the “Main Street” retail space and a separate inventory and corporate office, all headquartered in Texas.
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?
Pivoting during the Pandemic: The pandemic brought lemons, and Sip Hip Hooray founder, Meagan Morris, crafted “couture cups” to put lemonade in, via the Sip Hip Hooray retail and wholesale line.
Morris’ innovative spirit shines brightly enough to put a spotlight not just on her company and fellow local businesses, but also international majors. Locally, Houston’s iconic Bering’s Hardware, a Houston gift and home & garden institution among Houston’s jet- and fete-set, is among the 800+ international retailers that carry Sip Hip Hooray wholesale designs in-store.
Supply chain has been a major challenge. A global business situated near the nation’s second largest port in the fourth largest city in America had to get creative from a planning and logistics standpoint, and not just on the canvas or couture cup. People were partying at home, in their back yards, and still wanted to celebrate with something special, so demand went up. But the Covid-impacted supply was stalled. Sip Hip Hooray’s operations lead, Luke Morris, tapped his logistics acumen to source new and backup suppliers in order to meet customer demand.
Additionally, corporate clients, returning and new, increased orders. Hotels, commercial and residential high-rises, and homebuilders continue to flock to Morris’ Sip Hip Hooray team of artisans and consultants to craft unique client, tenant, and guest welcome gifts and unforgettable special event treats.
“We’re seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Meagan Morris. “And, that’s after we carved an entire, new tunnel, during our Covid-year expansion.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an artist at the core, and a perfectionist who has, thanks to business deadlines and client needs, learned to identify the point at which a work product is complete.
Artists sometimes have a challenge in knowing when to say when on a canvas or creative development piece. I have honed and corralled the passion and channeled it to meet a client’s goals within the creative, time, and budgetary scope in balance.
Our specialty is focused on creation of original art. We create art that the client owns and when we sketch and colorize your commercial high rise, your hotel, your home, your watercraft or jet. That becomes your (the client’s) personal design and artwork, which we then transfer to anything the client can imagine; fun party cups, napkins, soiree guest gifts and keepsakes, or something frameable! As we told a highrise and private jet client recently, the sky’s the limit.
We also enjoy a good pun. So, our creative team comes up with lots of cute, coy, original phrases to pair with designs. One of my favorite adages is “Make Mine a Double,” paired with a duo of King Charles Spaniels on a frosted cup. We’re convinced that wit makes each sip taste better!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes, you can register for your favorite things at the store—on an individual basis.
“Gift registries aren’t solely bridal anymore; they’re for everyone, all the time,” said Morris
“Our goal is to elevate everyday and elegant experiences, from personal to corporate gift-giving, events and entertainment, and large parties or down-home dining,” said Morris.
“We seek far and wide to source or create from scratch unique pieces and gifts for both the art +shop space and our expanded e-commerce site offerings.”
In addition to original artist-designed service pieces and gifts, Sip Hip Hooray’s globe-trotting specialties include an array that ranges from distinctive candles from Italy, olive oil from a 400-year-old olive tree, and legendary Marie Sharp’s hot sauce from Belize.
Sip Hip Hooray’s storefront is open seven days a week (hours on the website), and the e-commerce anchor shop is always active.
You can catch Meagan, Luke, or the artisan team for a sip of that aforementioned lemonade at one of their upcoming Sip-and-Stroll parties (next up, 10 FEB 2022 is the “Galentine’s Sip-and-Stroll,” featuring craft cocktails served from Bandol coupes and French cheeses served on couture cheese boards with Berlingot knives.
Meagan is also available for a “couture consultation” and site visits. To book time with C-suite-level art-meets-experience expert, Meagan Morris, or to shop the bespoke bounty, visit siphiphooray.com.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@siphiphooray.com
- Website: siphiphooray.com
- Instagram: @siphiphooray
- Facebook: @siphiphooray
- Twitter: @siphiphooray
- Pinterest: @siphiphooray
Image Credits
Mustard Seed Photography
