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Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce www.greatfallschamber.org
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What year did you start your business?
Farmer's Daughter Fibers opened in 2016.
Why did you start your business?
Prior to Farmer's Daughter Fibers, I was in early childhood
education. I loved working with children and families, but I
knew I wanted more than a 9 to 5. I was an avid knitter and
wanted to do something in this industry that created materials
for makers.
How many employees do you have now?
We currently have 10 employees.
What is unique about your business?
Just about everything is unique to our business. The colors
we create for our yarns are very unique and nostalgic, and our
business model and the growth we create is very unique. The
entire knitting subculture is very unique and misunderstood.
What has been your biggest success?
We have seen so many successes over the last 5 years it
is hard to pinpoint one. Creating a business that is also our
lifestyle was always the goal and the flexibility we have as
a family feels very successful. To build a team with a livable
wage is also a big success of ours.
What has been your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has been balance. It is hard to
come by as a small business owner. You don't have a map
or rulebook to go off of in small business and especially this
industry. So just making it up as we go is challenging. We
always have a plan B...and C and D and E and F!
What are your plans for 2022 or in the future to grow and
develop your business?
Our biggest goal right now is to create a destination yarn
shop for makers to come and visit. We want to show off what
Great Falls has to offer!
What have you done to overcome the challenge(s)
of 2020/2021? Have you been able to turn any of it
into opportunities? How has it changed your way of
doing business?
2020 was one of our biggest years. People were at
home knitting! So, we grew a lot and took those opportunities
to grow in new ways. We also realize keeping supplies as
local as possible is really important.
Photo by Photo Solutions
