Founding a successful company wasn’t a lifelong dream for Michele Buelow. Rather, it was a byproduct of two needs she realized could be combined and mutually achieved.
As a newly stay at home mom looking to fill her unaccustomed free time, Buelow began making accessories for her daughters. Her creations caught others’ attention and prompted requests to purchase the accessories as baby shower gifts.
Looking for an opportunity to fund the three months worth of doctorate work her brother had left unfinished upon his death, Buelow realized her creations could raise the money she was hoping for to honor his memory.
“In hind sight, it happened really quickly, when at the time I didn’t even realize it was coming together as a company that could not only finish his work, continue to give to charities, (but allow me to) keep a company that I wanted to build, to build a creative voice,” Buelow said.
And thus, Bella Tunno was born. Focused on fashion, function and philanthropy, the company produces baby and children’s accessories used by the average consumer and celebrities alike. Buelow still uses the company to support nonprofit organizations and make merchandise donations.
“I love what I do, and I love what it lets me do,” Buelow said. “It lets me be with my kids, it lets me do philanthropy work, it lets me live a good life.”
Smart Business sat down with Buelow to discuss entrepreneurship.
How did you decide the market you were going to enter?
When I had my first daughter, everything was ducks and trucks, yellow and appliqué. That’s a fine look, but not my look. I wanted something that was more suited for the mom, the fashion-forward mom. I wanted a little flair, a little funk. … It wasn’t out there, or sometimes it was out there but very high end, unobtainable high end. … So I just started making my own (things) so that I could have the look I wanted, but at a price point I could afford on a single income.
Where do you look for new ideas?
It comes from everything, but mostly my own kids at this point. … (The market), it’s totally gender-neutral, so it’s all yellow and green, and mostly character-driven: Dora, Sesame Street, that kind of thing. That’s not the look of my client and the Bella Tunno customer. We realized there’s a need for the product, it clearly sells well, and it’s a big market. … A lot of the products we come up with … (while) trying to figure out what can we do at a reasonable price point that our key retailers are also looking for.
What are your interests in regard to giving back to the community, and how do you find ways to align them with your business?
First and foremost, we have never, ever sold a product without donating merchandise. It is ingrained in the fiber of who Bella Tunno is. We were founded to try and help with drug and alcohol rehabilitation, education and prevention programs. In doing a lot of work with those types of programs, it’s been very fulfilling and we really enjoy it.
How do you manage relationships? Are you on the plane a lot, or do you stay at home?
I stay at home as much as I can… I’m a mom. That will always be the most important thing to me. I’m not on a plane a lot. I do so much virtually — video conferences, e-mail. … That first meeting is actual. You shake the hand, you make eye contact, you show what you’re about. And after that, once that trust bridge is built, you can do so much virtually.
In terms of nurturing our relationship with GAP and Nordstrom … we approach it with honesty. Had we pretended that we could get (a product we hadn’t made before) done, it never would have happened. But we said, (we can design it but need help finding a source and manufacturer.) And it’s truly become a partnership.
How to reach: Bella Tunno, www.bellatunno.com
