Something really awesome happened for me and this brand this year; I was accepted into an amazing accelerator with a small group of Canadian women - many of whom are BIPOC. This is now the second group I've been involved in this year, the first being Slay The Mic with Jam Gamble. Both have taught me that my presence in the babywearing space as a Black Woman (yes, with capital letters) holds more weight than I'm giving it credit for.
See, when I started Heritage Baby Designs I had been looking for a brand that filled some buckets:
1. BIPOC-owned, preferably by a she/they/gay, too.
2. Canadian made
3. Values-first
4. Socially conscience
5. Accessible; sizing, cost, availability, etc.
It's not that I couldn't find brands with one or two of these criteria, but I was having a hard time finding them all in one brand. I dusted off my sewing machine, watched a lot of YouTube to remember how to use it and spent the next number of nights scouring Google for rules and regulations around Ring Sling manufacture and sale in North America. As the saying goes, the rest is history.
But back to the accelerator and coaching group...part of being in the groups includes an opportunity to work with a mentor. Both of my mentors have challenged me to emphasize my values-forward business model. Both have asked me "why don't you tell the people more often that you're not for everyone." And frankly, they're right. I'm not doing myself any good by holding back, so here is my declaration.
Heritage Baby Designs was created and exists for my Black community (inserting here that I can't speak for other BIPOC, but I do know as a Black Woman I love to support other BIPOC, band together if you were). HBD was created and exists to be a place you can get a carrier made with love, intention, integrity, and is an open communicator of the rich and sordid history we can look back on. HBD was created and exists proudly for bodies of all makings. Mostly HBD was created and exists to ensure that BIPOC continue to take up space.
Maybe you're reading this as a past, present or future community member of Heritage. I love sharing my passion for this brand with you! Maybe you're reading this as a fellow entrepreneur, and to you I say what my mentors said to me, "stop holding back!"
Here's where I insert a shameless plug. I'll be hosting a Values-First dinner series with my friend and fellow business owner, Maddy. We have both seen and felt the benefit of being part of a community that pushes us to run a business on our own terms and want so badly to build one too. I won't ramble on about it, but you can read more about it right here.
Here's the snapshot:
- it's a virtual series
- there will be food
- you will receive tangible tools
- there will be mentorship and community
If you're read this far, thank you! There will be more from me in this medium. It's time I stop holding back.
-Kayleigh