There are few women in business who can match the almost instant success of Origami Owl CEO and co-founder Chrissy Weems who showed it was possible to take an idea for a hobby or craft and turn it into an award-winning business. Origami Owl was established in 2010 and is now one of the more than 11 million businesses owned by women in the U.S. according to the National Association of Women Business Owners; Origami Owl has shown it is possible to form a business and adapt its model in a bid to maximize profit without losing any of the success or quality.
Establishing a successful company
The establishment of Origami Owl came about in a simple way when Bella Weems was a 14-year old and looking to buy a car for herself only to be told by her mother, Chrissy that she needed to make money to help pay for the vehicle herself. Saving money is always a difficult thing to do, particularly when a teenager has their earning potential limited by school and other activities.
Mother and daughter had already been active crafting hobbyists who felt they had gained some skills watching videos on YouTube and other streaming services. Taking the crafting idea and turning it into a business did not come easily for the Weems who knew the drawbacks of starting a small business for themselves. Chrissy Weems took over as CEO of the company and designed the Origami Owl locket the company has developed as their trademark alongside daughter Bella. Women in business often face many limitations but for the Weems, family success has taken many forms and seen them develop a popular business.
Origami Owl builds a direct sales business model
The Origami Owl brand has been through a series of different models after beginning as a stall in a local mall run by Chrissy and Bella Weems who made an amazing $26,000 in sales during their first weekend. After finding success at a local level, the management of Origami Owl suddenly took on a professional tone and began to focus on different ways of getting their personalized lockets out to the public with the lowest overheads possible.
Origami Owl may have achieved success on a local level and shown the faith of the Weems family was well placed, but the costs of renting a stall in a local mall were far higher than expected and damaged the profit of the fledgling company. Knowing their trademark lockets could be personalized by their followers and customers, Origami Owl quickly saw the potential for developing a direct sales option and offering a new route to success and independence for women in business.
Direct sales change the marketplace
Across the world, direct selling has become one of the leading ways of creating a successful business in a short space of time. This business model is often seen in its most successful forms in Asia and South America. In recent years, the direct sales industry has been growing in North America and has become a business model Origami Owl has accepted and turned into a profitable business for the owners and independent salespeople who help create innovative designs.
Chrissy Weems’ history in interior design and business obviously combined to help develop the company into its current state which has seen Origami Owl become part of a retail sector employing more than 20 million people by 2016, according to the Direct Sales Association. The business has continued to grow at a fast rate after the direct sales model become a major hit with customers.
The Living Locket
Making sure the Origami Owl brand is always offering new and innovative products has become one of the most important parts of the work of the Weems family as they continue to make sure the business remains successful. The Origami Owl “Living Locket” has continued to grow at a rapid rate and has been developed to allow a range of interesting charms to be added to these clear lockets which have made them a must-have for people of all ages. As the direct sales sector continues to grow, Origami Owl continues to bring success and empowerment to women who wish to make an impact in the business world.
