When I first walked into Haley’s creative space, the inspiration was nearly breathable. With her baby bump leading the way, she guided me through her home to the back room she had transformed into her studio, complete with a vintage white separate entry door. Every detail within was purposeful and beautiful as whether from thrift stores or her own family heirlooms, she finds treasure in things of the past and draws upon them for inspiration. She surrounds herself with the history her creations nod to. It’s a lifestyle to her, and really, this isn’t surprising; being a third generation entrepreneur, innovation seems to run in her blood. Further, in observing her go through her work routine, she’s humble, focused, calm, listening intently in discussions, connecting sincerely with her bubbling, blushing brides. From her handiwork to her presence, the secret of her success seems truly to be her loveliness.
Meet Haley Williams, owner and designer behind The Yellow Peony – Vintage Inspired Bridal Accessories.
How long have you been in business? June, 2011
What is The Yellow Peony? I design and make bridal hair accessories & adornments for brides who want a lovely, timeless look with a nod to vintage-inspired glam.
Where are you located? My home studio is in Roeland Park, Kansas. My accessories are carried by Altar Bridal in Waldo, Janay A Handmade in Mission, KS, 4Everly After in Alexandria, VA, Posh Bridal in Frederick, MD and a&be bridal shop in Denver, CO. And I’m growing all the time!
What do you believe sets you apart from competitors?
On a practical level, I’m still truly a “small business” as I’m a one-woman show. If you order a piece from me, my hands are the ones making it. I am starting to contract with seamstresses for some assistance on certain pieces, but every piece – even ones partially made by seamstresses – are flowing through my hands to be perfected and get their finishing touches. I think my brides love knowing they are receiving a custom, handmade piece and it gives them a feeling of superior service and care in this special area of bridal accessories that can really make or break a look.
Also, what sets me apart is the type of designs I produce. The Yellow Peony, as you might conclude, is inspired largely by florals and the beautiful shapes and flourishes found in nature. My focus has always been on floral headpieces and flower hair clips as opposed to intricately hand-beaded belts or the like, which many other designers are producing right now. That’s partially because of my personal interest in and love of florals but also because of my desire to keep my prices affordable for the bride who wants pieces that look couture and ARE handmade, but don’t come with a couture price tag.
Is there a story or an encounter that you can share to give us some background on the development of your business?
I am the type of person who has difficulty saying “no” to things. When I first started out designing bridal, I quickly got side-tracked by making all sorts of other things like casual, non-bridal jewelry, headbands, and the like. Nothing wrong with it – but it set me on a course of general distraction and hampered me from moving forward with bridal for a good year. When I finally made the decision that bridal had to be my main focus and commitment, I saw exponential growth in my business – mostly because I was focused on getting the results I wanted and wasn’t being pulled in 10 different directions with my business on a daily basis.
I had the ability finally to pour all my energy and creativity into developing The Yellow Peony as a bridal accessories company and everything just took off. I scheduled collaborative shoots with other professionals in the wedding industry, created new designs, improved my online presence on Etsy and on my own website, started getting more orders and generally became more well-known and recognized in the local bridal market in Kansas City – and now I’m carried across the country.
What keeps you going on the difficult days and drives your inspiration to continue forward?
My own “failures,” I think – because knowing how to “fail successfully” is absolutely necessary to sticking around in business. My greatest progress has come from my best failures. The times I failed hard at something really motivated me to get back on the horse – to try something different. A different angle or tactic.
I think we should be aiming for epic failures. Failures that indicate we were willing to be vulnerable, to step outside the comfortable box of what’s “accepted,” to break down our own barriers. Perhaps nothing came of it, but it pushed us in the right direction or a better future outcome.
How do you find and maintain balance with your family and your business?
I think the traditional idea of “balance” is flawed. I picture a woman who is doing it all – perfectly – day in and day out. Getting it all done – emptying her plate both professionally and at home. That just doesn’t happen, and if it does, the woman is absolutely miserable and unhappy. So, for me, balance is more about being OK with what I can do today in both my business and family life and not killing myself over some lost productivity or efficiency.
I have learned to take my work seriously and to take my fun seriously. I try not to work constantly and thereby be able to enjoy quality, intentional time with my husband. I used to be constantly “on” because I felt the pressure to always be available, to be 100% of everything to everyone at all times, and after a few breakdowns, I realized it was not the healthiest way to operate. Now I just really try to designate reasonable amounts of time to be productive and get work done when I need to. I’m also willing to unplug for a day or two on weekends or when on trips, so I can recharge and come back fully energized.
What encouragement can you give to other women and mothers?
Maybe it sounds a little cheesy, but most often I see other women who have no lack of dreams and desires, but it is really just a fear of failure that is holding them back from doing what they truly want to do.
My best advice is to start now. Do what you can with what you have, where you are right now. Don’t feel like there is some point you have to reach before you can start pursuing your dreams or dream job – whether that is owning your own business or taking the next step up a ladder in your career. I just don’t see the point in waiting for anyone to give you permission or telling you now is a good time to start, because that isn’t gonna happen. It may mean you start small and just do something as a hobby for awhile, but if you feel called to pursue something, do it today. Start now. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. Regret, wondering and wishing is no way to live. Be willing to be vulnerable and fail forward, towards success. Often, others carry you the other 95% of the way – and all it takes is for you to give your secret skills, dreams and desires a chance to actually exist, to be known by the world. There is so much joy to be had in just being known for who you are.
See Haley’s beautiful creations here.
