#holstrit

[holstrit-blog]

The Confession

I have a confession to make.  Last week I thought about quitting HOLSTRit.  I added up all my inventory I have in stock and figured out if I sold 75% of it, would we get our money back out of it.  I didn't do this because I wanted to quit or because I didn't like what I was doing, I did it because I had lost focus. Even as I was adding up my inventory I knew I wasn't going to quit, I just panicked. 

I had become overwhelmed with the pressure I was putting on myself to be the wife and mother I thought I needed to be, to be the entrepreneur I think I should have turned into by now and mad at myself for being too tired to do any of it the way I thought it needed to be done.  These impossible expectations were self-inflicted, unnecessary and draining.

This weekend my husband and I went to a marriage conference here in town called Weekend To Remember.  It has been over 10 years since we've done anything like this for our marriage and even though, (logistically speaking because of lack of child care), it was a bit of a battle to get there the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  I recommitted to putting God and my family first and immediately felt the load I was carrying lighten.  Whatever success this business has will have to be up to God and when I quit is up to Him too.   I know this business can either be a curse or a blessing and today I'm choosing blessing.   

[waterbotles]

About Us.

Hello, and welcome to HOLSTRit. I’m Tamra Johnson, and my small business story as the founder of HOLSTRit actually begins with my daughter.

After losing both of her kidneys to E-coli bacteria, she received a kidney transplant thanks to her father. As a kidney transplant recipient, she has to drink a 3 liters of fluid daily - and carrying a water bottle around at all times can be hard for anyone, let alone a growing girl! I took the idea of a convenient, functional and cute hydration bag to a friend who is good with textiles, and together we developed a water bottle HOLSTRit for my daughter.

Seeing the impacts it had on her health and convenience, I realized that it could help others - not just kidney disease survivors and kidney transplant recipients. HOLSTRit was born! Now we proudly offer a growing line of health-focused fashion HOLSTRit's that make life easier on the go.

Because of our roots in kidney transplant support, we continue to support the cause by donating a portion of every purchase to the National Kidney Foundation.

All of our water bottle HOLSTRit's are made in small amounts, with limited quantities in each pattern and color. This adds to the uniqueness and individuality of each style.

We are incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to fulfill a need, give back to the kidney disease and kidney transplant community and enable others to lead healthier lives in style! We are also appreciative of the support of our community, both local and extended. Without our local support base as a small business in Kansas City, we would not be able to provide these fashionable, functional products to our many satisfied customers. Thank you for visiting, and welcome to HOLSTRit.

PEACH 900ML HYDRATION TRACKER WATER BOTTLE

CHANGE YOUR HYDRATION HABITS TODAY, NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE TOMORROW.

Hydration TrackerMaintain a consistent water intake throughout the day with our hydration tracker water bottles. On the back of each bottle is a daily drinking schedule that prompts you to drink water in smaller, consistent amounts for maximum absorption by your cells.

Improve Your HydrationMonitor & increase your water intake for a range of health benefits such as improved energy levels and concentration as well as healthy looking skin. Maintain a healthy body fluid balance to aid the transportation of nutrients and promote healthy hair and nail growth.

5 Water Bottles for Every Hydration Need Imaginable

Brew your own tea, wherever you go. Sip the absolute coldest water after the hottest Bikram yoga class. Filter not-so-fresh water in seconds. Any water bottle will help you stay hydrated, but these products go above and beyond their humble purpose. Here are the vessels combining form and function to fill every water-related need imaginable (or, at least five).

[kansascityhappenings]

Overland Park mom invents bag to help daughter after kidney transplant

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Four years ago, Malena Johnson was only 10-years-old and just had a kidney transplant. Now she’s a healthy ninth-grade student in Overland Park, and her mom is an entrepreneur.

To make sure Malena’s body doesn’t reject the transplanted kidney, she has to drink 100 ounces of water every day for the rest of her life. It was a habit that was hard for her to get used to.

Malena Johnson

“I had watched her kind of suffer and struggle through all these medical issues for so long,” her mom Tamra Johnson said. “She was always carrying around water bottles or losing them or dropping them, and I was stressing out. ‘Are you drinking? Where’s your water bottle?’ And it was just kind of ruining our relationship.”

Before a summer away at camp, Tamra Johnson invented a bag called “HOLSTRit” to help Malena drink enough water.

It’s a bag that can be worn across the shoulders or around the waist, and it’s big enough for a 32-ounce bottle of water. It also has zipper pockets for cards, money, phones and medications.

Watch the video above to get a full look at the bag.

“It helps a lot, all the time,” Malena said. “It’s better than having to carry a bottle around all day.”

  Malena’s father was the one who donated the kidney to her, and while his wife helps recipients stay hydrated, he wants other people to know more about the donation process.

Tamra Johnson

“Obviously you’d do anything for your kids,” Malena’s dad Jamie Johnson said. “I encourage people if they have the opportunity to donate a kidney. It’s really a pretty simple process. It puts you down for a little bit, but it’s a huge blessing.”

Since 2016, Tamra Johnson has donated more than $5,000 to the National Kidney Foundation from HOLSTRit sales.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 million Americans have some form of kidney disease, and one in seven people are a risk. Money from the Johnson’s donations will help screening and prevention services in the metro.

This May, the foundation is holding its 2018 Magic Giving Gala. The Johnson family will share their donation story at the event.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports http://fox4kc.com/2018/03/21/overland-park-mom-invents-bag-to-help-daughter-after-kidney-transplant/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/overland-park-mom-invents-bag-to-help-daughter-after-kidney-transplant/

[mommaggg]

(via Win a Chic HOLSTRit Water Bottle Holder & MORE! #HeartThis)

[holstrit-blog]

DIY Isn't Cutting It Anymore

When I was designing holstrit.com, I knew a video showing why this stay-at-home mom would create a product and start a business was a priority.

My girls helped record a video on my iPhone serving not only as the videographers, but also as the directors, lighting technicians and on-site beauty team.  In post-production, they taught me the basics of editing using iMovie and Our Story was born.

While it's not eve close to professional quality (and every once in a while you can see dust flying around in the sunlight,), I learned a lot in the process, and it was a family collaboration and I was happy with it.

Fast forward 17 months:  HOLSTRit is rapidly growing and I need to find professionals who can help me in certain areas of the business.  I decided to contract with professionals who could truly capture the essence of HOLSTRit and tell our WHY. It's an important story because it's the only reason HOLSTRit exists. 

Last weekend Zoe Media shot our new Our Story video.  She not only captured a lot of footage, but the whole family was also involved.  Which means, she was able to teach my little photographer all about what she was doing while she was doing it.  Big fan of hands-on learning.

We'll roll out the video in March!  Can't wait for you to see it!

 photo credit: Brooklynn Johnson

[holstrit-blog]

The Small Business Customer

When I'm a passenger in the car and I see random office buildings, I look for the name of the company on the side of the building, I scan the building wondering what goes on in there and I wonder how they got their start.  I wonder about what they did to get where they are, if they still operate like a small business or if they now have a CFO.

Recently I went to a big chain store that opened at 9:00am.  I thought it was already open so I went to the door.  It was 8:56am and I decided to wait even though it was really cold outside.  By 9:02am, another customer was banging on the door to get them to unlock it so we could go inside.  By contrast, I went to The Tasteful Olive, which is a family owned small business, one Sunday morning thinking they opened at 12:30pm.  They didn't open until 1:00pm but I showed up at their front door at 12:25pm, was looking for their hours sign and the next thing I knew, the owner unlocked the door saying, "Oh come on in, I'm only doing my morning cleaning".

Here's what happens when you by from HOLSTRit, a very small, mom-owned business.  I see the email that someone ordered and if I don't say it out loud, I'm thinking, "Oh yea!"  I fight the urge to fill the order right then and there because I want my customer to have their product as soon as possible however I have to remember that no matter when I fill the order at home all the mail leaves the post office one time a day...so it doesn't have to be right away...ok, I can finish feeding my children.  I print a packing slip and write "Thank You!" on each one.  When I put the product in the bag, I wonder who it's going to and hope they find it as helpful and convenient as I do.  When I hear that someone has a problem with their HOLSTR, if it's defective in some way, I'm very disconcerted.  Even though I can't control the quality directly, it's a reflection on me and I do everything I know to do to make it right.  I appreciate every one of my customers and want them to be happy with their purchase.

I will still shop at a large box retailer however I jump at the chance to be a small business customer any time I can!  #SmallBusinessOwners take care of #SmallBusinessCustomers.

[holstrit-blog]

Tech-NO-logy And Me

Technology and me, well we just don't get along.  It's not that I don't appreciate it, I just don't like having to take the time to learn when it always seems to be changing.  Lately I've had no choice but to suck it up and figure it out.  

Before I officially launched HOLSTRit, the extent of my technology reach was that I could text and email.  I wasn't on Facebook, didn't know a Twitter from a tweet, Instagram was a new word to me, I hadn't even heard of Snapchat and I guess I have a Pinterest account because I keep getting emails that my girls are pinning things to their boards...whatever that means.  I only had Mac computers and laptops so I was super bummed to have to buy a Windows laptop and learn a whole new system.  (Even the X to close out windows is opposite!  Sheeze!)  I decided if I was going to try to run a business I needed to be on Facebook, I mean it seemed like everyone else was.  I checked out Twitter, because, well Ellen DeGeneres was tweeting pictures at the Oscars so it must be important.  At one of our trade shows I had a sweet college girl tell me I had to get on Instagram so right then and there she signed me up and showed me how it works.   

Over the last 16 months I've learned the basics of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  I had to learn how to design a website and even learned a bit of coding.  I learned how to blog (something I thought I'd never do!).  I had to learn enough about Photoshop to be able to use it when my pictures don't fit into a particular template.  I had to learn all about QuickBooks and hours of phone calls later I think I know enough to squeak by.  I had to learn how to purchase UPC codes and then get them uploaded, (that sounds WAY easier than it was).  I had to learn POS (Point Of Sale) programs to use at our tradeshows and have settled on one I like best.  Just this last week, I learned how to web design on another host site I like better.  All of this is just the technology part of trying to grow a business.

If you would have told me 16 months ago that I was going to learn about all these different platforms and successfully execute I would have never believed it.  I'm not afraid anymore to try.  I might get intimidated by the process but I'm not afraid to dive in.  The point of this post is not to toot my own horn because I'm well aware that God answers my, "If this is the direction I need to go please help me figure it out" prayers, but I hope this is encouraging to someone who is thinking of stepping out and trying to something new.  We just don't know until we try.  It might be hours of frustration and bitter tears but the accomplishment is so sweet so give it a try!!

[holstrit-blog]

HOLSTRit Shark Tank Casting Call 2017

[holstrit-blog]

The Two Most Asked Questions About Our HOLSTRs

Happy New Year!  I know I haven't posted in a few weeks but this week I'm tackling the top 2 most asked questions.  The first most asked question about our HOLSTRs is, "Does this fit the iPhone 6+ (or 7+)?"  Yes!  The HOLSTRs titled *NEW* on our product website page will fit the larger phones.  I have had 2 customers at different trade shows not be able to get their phone in very easily because they had an extremely large case on their phone.  99% of the time they fit.  The picture below shows one of the *NEW* products with my iPhone 6+ in the back.

The second most asked question about our HOLSTRs is, "What size bottle will the HOLSTR hold?"  I have taken pictures to try and help with this important question. 

20 oz. Yeti type bottle

30 oz. bottle

30 oz. Yeti type bottle

36 oz. Tupperware bottle

As you can see the only type bottle the HOLSTR doesn't hold very well is the larger Yeti type bottle however I have had several customers use their HOLSTR for that type of bottle and just stuck it in as far as it goes.  You don't want to force any bottle in as it could potentially pop the Velcro strap eyelet.  I can't know the size and shape of every bottle and wouldn't want to mislead anyone so I hope this is helpful if you're asking these questions. 

Be sure to check out our website at holstrit.com and follow us on our Facebook page to keep up with the most current HOLSTRit information.

[holstrit-blog]

Not Business As Usual

You wouldn’t know it by looking at me.  I live life pretty fully and enjoy it most days.  I smile and laugh.  I don’t spend hours in bed when the sun’s up.  I’m not trying to numb anything by doing harmful things to myself, (however sometimes when I feel really bad I’ll watch Dance Moms to remind myself that all moms have issues).  It’s not that I try to be fake or hide anything it's just that when people ask, “how are you doing?” I’m not compelled to say, “Oh I struggle with PTSD and anxiety but other than that, I’m really good!“  This is a conversation that isn’t being had.  No one talks about this, not when it comes to an average wife and stay-at-home mom whose only battle field was trying to just survive when her daughter almost didn’t.  

February 2017 will be 4 years since my 9 year old daughter went into the hospital.  She had eaten something tainted with E-coli bacteria and it was starting to wreak havoc on her little body.  I watched her endure countless sessions of needle sticks, while I could do nothing.  I watched her body swell up because her kidneys weren’t working to flush fluids or toxins out of her body, while I could do nothing.  I watched her be prepped for surgeries to insert catheters to try to rid her body of these toxins, while I could do nothing.  I watched her go through several sessions of cleaning these catheters just hours later with her crying in pain because they hadn’t healed, while I could do nothing.  I watched as dialysis machines painfully filled her abdomen with fluid, while I could do nothing.  I watched lung machines force air into her lungs to try to get them healthy again, while I could do nothing.  I watched her frail little body do physical therapy, I cheered her on but felt broken.  I watched her slowly fade away into a vegetative state as the toxins invaded her brain only to watch her come back to us within 24 hours.  I struggled constantly with the fact that my faith, that I thought was fairly solid, had been shaken so hard that I wondered if it would ever recover.  I struggled with feeling like God had completely abandoned my daughter, (which is worse than feeling abandoned myself).  I struggled with the fact that my husband, donating his kidney to our girl was the only way back to "health” for her.  I didn’t want any more pain for any of us and then, after a few years, it was over. 

Just like that we were to live life again.  Not worrying day by day what battles we’d have to fight or even if our daughter was going to survive.  "All is well”, right?  I’m the mom, life goes on and I have to live life again however everything has changed and no one is there to teach me how to do this.  Not only am I changed spiritually, but emotionally and physically.  I have learned that my heart will race when I’m awaiting monthly lab results.  I have learned that my heart will race every time I visit someone in the hospital. I have learned that when I see any pictures from 2013-2015 my heart will race. I have also learned that there are moments that my body and my brain will shut down with an exhaustion unparalleled to any other exhaustion.  I can’t think straight or make a decision to save my life.  I have looked back and can now see countless blessings that I’d never want to miss but know they never would have happened if we hadn’t gone through what we did.  I constantly deal with my flesh screaming, “I can’t take any more pain and struggle!” however my spirit wants to keep growing and experiencing God’s best for us. 

I’ve got to think I’m not the only mom who is struggling with this.   We all have a story, we all experience the same types of emotions no matter the struggle and I know women whose stories last much longer than mine.  How can we support each other?  Is anyone really talking about this?  What does healing even look like?  I obviously don’t have the answers but until then I'll put one foot in front of the other, live life the best I know how hoping it’s good enough for my girls and watch an occasional episode of Dance Moms if needed. 

[holstrit-blog]

HOLSTRit Photoshoot December 2016

[holstrit-blog]

Living In Plan B

Since starting HOLSTRit daily life has been quite a bit busier.  At the beginning of the 2016 school year, with my business up and running, I had this amazing plan on how I was going to get it all done and stay sane in the process.  Plan A:  I'd get up early, make some coffee, sit in the quiet and be alone long enough to feel energized and ready to take on whatever might happen that day with saintly patience.  Plan B: I pretty much loath having to get out of my bed and no amount of coffee and alone time fixes that so I try to at least be up before the girls and fix them breakfast.  My alone time?  Well, I do try to make sure that happens once I know I can keep my eyes open.  As for the coffee, I fix that in the morning but by lunch time I have several dried coffee rings on the inside of my cup and it tastes a bit burnt because I have warmed it up in the microwave so many times.  Plan A: Get housework started before the girls ever get out of bed and keep that going throughout the day with all this new gained energy I was going to have because of my alone time.  Plan B:  Well since I never got that early morning energy, it's a good day if I can Clorox wipe the bathrooms.  Bonus if I can actually wash, dry and fold a single load of laundry all in one day.  (I feel like mom of the year when I mop my hardwood!)  Plan A:  Focus on the girls and their school work until about 2:00 pm and then have about 2-3 hours of uninterrupted work time.  Plan B:  I'm not even sure what I was thinking here because life happens and if there are kids in the house, no matter the age, uninterrupted anything doesn't exist. 

So plan B it is, which I'm pretty sure is the story of most of our lives.  Right?  Please tell me I'm right??!!  This picture reveals much truth.  I work sometimes while teaching my youngest.  I package online orders when I have a "break".  My table decorations, courtesy of my 8 year old consist of a toothbrush holder and 3 holiday candle holders that spell "NEL" because somehow the "O" went missing.  There's that coffee cup that follows me around all morning.  The orange bell on the table...well...that's from the kidney walk and someone had the bright idea to ring it every time dinner was ready.  The bag of peanut brittle is there to give me the energy I need to get through the day.  The scooters are in the house because little one here doesn't walk around the house, she rides.  The chipped paint on the wall is there to remind me that I have a lot of projects around the house to ignore in 2017.  I also see the family pictures all around and they are my heart.  I see the scripture verse taped to the wall because we want to memorize it.  Granted we wanted to have it memorize by the end of September but I keep reminding myself, I'm living in Plan B. 

[holstrit-blog]

Good News and Bad News

I've discovered something else I haven't yet mastered in business:  The art of inventory management.  Good news...I have ordered more product, bad news...I'm running out of my current stuff while waiting on the new stuff.

People keep saying to me that this is a good problem to have however it's still a problem and not a fun problem to have right before Christmas.  I've ordered 5 new patterns and reordered 3 of the current patterns so I'm going to have the largest selection of fabrics I've ever had which is exciting. They are suppose to ship December 15 which lands them at my doorstep December 22, not at all the kind of risk I enjoy taking.  I've got people ordering the new stuff already which is super exciting and I'm just praying the run gets completed early by the factory and gets here sooner than I expect or at the very least, on time.  I don't know exactly how to master the art of inventory but I'm hoping to figure it out quickly. I don't want have this "good" problem again and have to do this to my website unless it's a discontinued pattern. 

[holstrit-blog]

How Did You Get On TV?

I've had a few people ask how I got invited to appear on KC Live.  Here's what I've learned over the last year about getting publicity on my business.  First of all, I have a very unique, hard story that people are interested in...who knew??  Second, I have learned that people are also interested in the story of how a mom turned an invention to help her sick daughter into a product for everyone which resulted in a business.    

In November 2015, someone from the Kansas City Star approached me about writing an article on me and the business.  It was then that I understood that some people might be interested in what I'm doing and I also realized that the only way for publications or media outlets to hear my story is to tell them.  Sometimes people come directly to me but for the most part, I contact them, tell them my story and if they think it makes for a good article or segment, they contact me back.

This is what happened with KC Live.  I emailed them one evening, not thinking much of it and they emailed me back the next morning and 7 days later I found myself sitting on a couch next to Joel Nichols on live TV.  It was such a fun opportunity and everyone at the studio was incredibly nice and made me feel so comfortable.  It was great fun to watch behind the scenes as they went from segment to segment.  It was also a great opportunity for me to grow once again.  I'm naturally about 5% extrovert but the things I'm getting to do with this business makes me look like I'm about 75% extrovert, which uncomfortably stretches me.  I'm more and more curious where this business will go.  I look at what has been accomplished over the last year and am in awe of all God has done so it's exciting to think about what is next for HOLSTRit and myself.  

If you'd like to watch the segment, please click here.    

[holstrit-blog]

The Forgotten Product

We talk 95% of the time about our HOLSTR products that can be worn as a waist strap or a cross-body strap but we talk very little about the Sport strap HOLSTR, (formerly known as the Travel strap), and yet this is a great product.  This product was originally designed for my kids' backpacks.  Halfway through the year the mesh pockets in the side of the backpack were ripped out because of their water bottles.  I designed the Sport strap HOLSTR to either snap around a handle or be clipped on by the carabiner.

It snaps around the strap of a softball bag while carrying equipment onto the field allowing you to be hands-free.

It also clips conveniently to the fence for easy access.  The great thing about using the HOLSTR here is your water bottle isn't rolling around in the dirt in the dugout, you don't mistake someone else's bottle for your own and you can bring other items such as a phone, cash or sunscreen, store them and access them easily in the HOLSTR.

 The Sport strap HOLSTR is also very convenient for golfing.  Whether you have a cart or not you can be hands-free and simplify by putting your keys, phone, money and id in the same place all while staying hydrated.

This is a great product for strollers as well.  Snapping it to the stroller handle allows you to have easy access to sanitizer, your phone, your keys while staying hands-free to play with your little ones.

There are many other uses for this product such as snapping it around your luggage, clipping it to your workout bag, snapping it around your belt loop, there are other sports where you can use this HOLSTR to keep track of your water bottle and personal items.  Get creative!  This HOLSTR is only $19.50 at www.holstrit.com.

[holstrit-blog]

My Story Part 2

My last blog post was part 1 of my story, from my child getting sick, losing her kidney's and ultimately having a kidney transplant to conception of my product. (Click here to read part 1.) 

In creating this product, I never had the idea of selling this product or turning it into a business.  I was focused on surviving every day at least and at best, doing it with a small amount of joy.  Our daughter struggled with intestinal issues most of that year after her transplant.  She lost a ton of weight, was life-flighted home from our trip to Colorado in May 2014 and later in the summer was just a few more bad days away from being scoped from the top and the bottom.  "Mysteriously" everything resolved itself and no scoping was necessary.   Once she seemed physically ok after not being ok for almost 2 years I started having physical symptoms that I know now were the result of an unusual amount of distress for a long period of time, PTSD and high levels of prolonged adrenaline finally presenting themselves in me physically. My point in telling you this is I was in no shape physically or emotionally to start a business.  However, if I've learned anything from this grand ordeal we've been through with our daughter it's that I'm not in charge and God's plans are not always my plans.

Every time we would wear the HOLSTRs out, someone would ask about them.  I finally asked my husband if we should try to sell a few.  I was paying someone $40 to make them for our family and knew I couldn't afford that nor did this person have time to sew them.  Before I talked to anyone, we decided to try to patent the idea.  I had contacted many manufacturers in the U.S. but no one got back to me.  My husband and I met with an acquaintance who owns a company here in KC, just to try to figure out what to do and he offered to introduce us to his sourcing agency in China.  Not only did we now have a connection to a manufacturer but it was someone we could trust not to steal our idea.  Long story short, we have a great relationship with these people in China, they have been so great to work with us and do smaller production runs that we can afford.  Without this connection, I'm not sure we'd be where we are today.

We had product coming, now I needed to figure out how to store and sell them, how to get a corporate lawyer and get incorporated, how to get on Facebook, how to build a website, how to do accounting (which I still mess up today...not my strength), how to brand and do marketing and SEO all the while still taking care of my family and my house at the same time.  We were officially launching HOLSTRit ready or not.  I have always said that this business happened to me.  This has been such a unique experience for me and has forced me to grow in ways I never imagined.   

There have been so many instances where I've run into a wall but found a window open.  There have been so many times, (almost weekly), where I've wondered, "What am I doing?" and then I'm hit square in the forehead with reassurance of the fact that this is what I'm suppose to be doing.  I've learned that once you have a story and share it, other people feel free to share their story too.  Getting out at these trade shows, I can't tell you the conversations I have sometimes with people who are hurting and I realize that this business is more than money and bottom line, it's about people.  I still say I don't know what I'm doing, but God has brought people into my business who I call my team.  I have a patent attorney, a corporate lawyer, an accountant, an SEO/branding/social media expert, friends who want to see me succeed and VERY supportive & helpful family members. 

This is not an easy path and it's made a little tougher by the fact that we still deal with uncertainties (monthly if not weekly) of our daughter and her kidney failing and needing another transplant someday but I can honestly say I'd never change it.  The things I've learned, experienced and witnessed over the last 3 1/2 years with my daughter and with the business are pretty magnificent.  Everyone's got a story...and this is mine!  Thank you for reading it.