Southern Startups with Dignity: Introducing Carter’s Crafty Concepts, The Company That’s Taking Arts and Crafts To New Heights With Head Turning, Personalized Tumbler Designs
Art is everywhere. It's in our music, movies, drawings, clothing, and more. The millennial movement is about expressing yourself through images and statements, which is why customized items are so popular!
I had the opportunity to talk to Janea Carter of Carter’s Crafty Concepts, who specializes in customized tumblers. I immediately complimented her on how beautiful her tumblers are.
Even though this is a popular business, Janea is a true professional who creates high quality products that allow Carter’s Crafty Concepts to stand out from its competition.
And, her creations are consistently living up to the company's unique, multi-faceted motto, #MoreThanJustACup.
Designing any item requires concentration and focus. So, for those of us who fall short on our artistic expressions, we depend on the arts and crafts community to bring our ideas to fruition.
“The tumbler community is very large. However, the clients just need to know what they’re looking for,” Janea humbly explained.
The Journey From Art As A Youth to Creating Hand-Held Conversation Starters
Photo courtesy of Carter’s Crafty Concepts
Janea grew up in the small town of Coldsprings, Texas with her grandmother, Amie Neal, and her uncle, David Crawford, whom she described as one of her early artistic influences.
Seeing her uncle draw realistic photos sparked her interest in art at an incredibly young age. In grade school, she won art contests and her work was featured in Houston’s rodeos.
Her natural talent for art began to expand over the years, but she never thought designing tumblers would be a part of her vision.
She would constantly receive compliments whenever she decorated for her daughter’s birthday parties.
Over time, her husband, Justin Carter, began to encourage her to start a business.
But Janea exclaimed, “Entrepreneurship was the last thing on my mind. It just wasn’t for me at the time.”
Today, Janea credits her success to her family, specifically her mother for being a motivating force and a shoulder to lean on. Because, we all know, entrepreneurship ain’t easy.
“My mom, Louise Crawford, has been instrumental in my personal development and business growth. I’m extremely thankful for her guidance.”
Janea’s husband and children. Photo courtesy of Carter’s Crafty Concepts.
If you’re wondering how and when Janea decided to start a business of her own, read more of her amazing story below to find out.
K+D: Why did you start Carter’s Crafty Concepts?
Janea expressed, “I was 3 months pregnant with my son and my bank account was overdrawn. I knew I had to improve our situation.”
So, she finally followed her husband’s advice and began research on bedazzling with rhinestones. Instead, she stumbled, or should I say “tumbled," across DIY cup designs on YouTube.
“I started making tumblers inadvertently,” said Janea. “This was not the original business I set out to do.”
Before she knew it, she had 3 notebooks full of various topics such as applying transfer paper and doing split V designs.
“I invested 9 months of research before I even touched any actual material,” she stated.
Janea took the time to be thorough and learn exactly what she was getting into beforehand.
And, although she has her natural gift of arts and crafts, she did not jump straight into the business.
K+D: What's the significance behind your logo?
“The logo is inspired by Nanny -- my grandmother, Amie Neal,” responded Janea.
She continued, “My Nanny loved owls. Navy was her favorite color, and navy and gold was her favorite color combination. Her feathers are for all the members of our family and purple is my mom’s favorite color.”
Being the creative mastermind that she is, Janea uses the entire Carter's Crafty Concepts brand to pay homage to her mother and her Nanny.
K+D: What were some of the unanticipated hurdles in starting the business?
Janea explains that her first hurdle was dealing with the social aspect of the tumbler community and how everyone was not always as welcoming to her business.
“Pride is the death of a business. Finding beneficial connections, mentors, and people who are going to steer you in the right direction is critically important.”
She pushed past everyone’s skepticism and began putting the right people in her corner. We shared a laugh as she described another obstacle she overcame -- understanding the value of her products.
Janea proclaimed, “I learned to stand firm with what my products are worth. I say, absolutely these are my prices! Do you see what I did to this cup?”
K+D: What makes Carter’s Crafty Concepts different from other companies?
Photo courtesy of Carter’s Crafty Concepts
Carter’s Crafty Concepts is different because Janea places a high emphasis on customer relations and professionalism. She says:
“I like to get personal with my clients. Relationship building at the forefront is key in this business for me.”
Unlike sellers on major platforms, when ordering from Janea, an appointment is required where she provides a consultation on the design of your cup. During the consultation, Janea gets a feel for her client’s personality so that she may help them envision their ideas.
She likes to have fun, but also maintains a standardized business structure and strategy by implementing terms of service and guidelines.
Each client receives weekly updates during the crafting process and follow ups after the cup is delivered.
Janea says, “This is not just fun and glitter over here. This is a business I take very seriously, which is why I present it as such.”
K+D: Our readers are men and women, what can they expect when doing business with Carter’s Crafty Concepts?
Without hesitation, Janea responded:
“Be ready to be involved because communication allows us to get to know each other and is important when ordering a customized item. They’re going to make a new friend!”
K+D: What’s in the foreseeable future for Carter’s Crafty Concepts?
Janea is currently working on building a team to free up some of her time.
With good news traveling fast and the majority of her advertising being referrals, we can expect nothing but expansion and growth for Janea Carter and Carter's Crafty Concepts.
Be sure to follow Carter’s Crafty Concepts on Facebook and Instagram to check out the latest designs and schedule a design consultation to get a custom tumbler for yourself or a loved one.
